The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported an incident following a disagreement over a diving spot during lobster mini-season. This occurred half a mile east of Fisher Island on July 29. A man, Michael Simpson, aged 51, faces an attempted-murder charge for allegedly turning off a diver’s oxygen supply. Simpson denies these allegations, stating through a family spokesperson that he “never came into contact with, or interfered with, anyone’s diving equipment.”
The FWC’s statement clarified that officers found the boat where the incident involving Simpson occurred and alerted the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) as the altercation wasn’t related to a boating accident. The MDSO is leading the investigation and has detained Simpson.
On the morning of the incident, a diver entered the water at a popular lobster-diving location. The boat’s captain warned someone on a nearby 39-foot Contender to stay clear of their diving system, known as a Brownie, which provides fresh air to divers via a hose. According to the arrest report, Simpson became upset and allegedly threatened to and then did shut off the Brownie. Witnesses reported Simpson’s actions resulted in the diver’s air supply being cut off.
The crew on the diver’s boat quickly reacted, with the captain jumping into the water to assist the diver to the surface using the Brownie’s air hose. The diver surfaced disoriented and gasping, reporting confusion over the event, as detailed in the witness testimonies.
Michael Simpson is part of Miami-Dade County’s Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force, established in 2024 after the death of 17-year-old Luciana “Lucy” Fernandez in a boating crash. Simpson’s association with the task force, launched by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava alongside the Lucy Fernandez Foundation, focuses on increasing boating safety awareness and law enforcement on Biscayne Bay.
Simpson is also the registered owner of Island Queen Cruises & Tours, offering excursions like sunset cruises and Bahamas ferries. His family stated, “Mike Simpson has devoted his life to boating safety… He looks forward to presenting the full facts in court, clearing his name, and restoring the reputation he has spent a lifetime building.”
Milena Malaver, a staff writer with the Miami Herald, contributed to this report.
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