In the aftermath of the tragic boat fire on Stock Island early Wednesday morning, the missing woman was identified as 51-year-old Linda Vella from St. Petersburg, Florida. The incident, which took place at a marina at approximately 12:10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at the Oasis Marina located at 7101 Shrimp Road, destroyed a 70-foot Viking yacht.
As authorities continue investigating the cause of the fire, the state Fire Marshal’s Office and Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Detectives are diligently working to uncover the circumstances that led to the devastating incident. In the ongoing search for Linda Vella, the Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and TowBoat U.S. crews are actively involved in locating her.
During the incident, Linda Vella’s husband, Michael Kenneth Robson (58), and their son, Anthony Joseph Vella (21), both from St. Petersburg, Florida, were airlifted to a hospital in Miami for medical attention. Another family of four on board the yacht escaped the fire unharmed.
Upon arrival at the scene, Monroe County Fire Rescue crews faced a fully engulfed boat and battled the raging blaze for approximately three hours. As the investigation unfolds, authorities are working to determine the exact cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
The boat was lifted out of the water with great care before it was searched as it was structurally comprised due to the blaze.
A woman’s body was removed from a burnt yacht Friday at a Stock Island marina
Identification and autopsy results are pending with the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office. Foul play was not believed to be a factor as of Friday.
