- Fisher Island, a private, man-made island off the coast of Miami, is known for being the richest ZIP code in the US, where the average income of residents is $2.2 million and the median home value is roughly $2.9 million.
- Two women reportedly drowned after their car fell off the ferry that shuttles residents to and from the island on Tuesday night.
- Police recovered and identified the bodies as socialites Emma Afra and Viviane Brahms, according to The Miami Herald.
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A blue Mercedes-Benz inexplicably rolled off the Fisher Island Ferry on Tuesday at around 5 p.m., killing the two women sitting in the car, according to The Miami Herald.
The two women were identified as socialites Emma Afra, 63, and Viviane Brahms, 75, according to Miami-Dade Police.
The two were taking the private ferry from the exclusive Fisher Island, where Afra was a resident. Brahms was a New York resident.
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Fisher Island is a private, man-made island off the coast of Miami known for being the richest ZIP code in the US , where the average income of residents is $2.2 million and the median home value is roughly $2.9 million. About 700 families live on the exclusive island across 30 luxury condominium buildings. The only way to access the island is by private boat or ferry.
The ferry transports people and cars from an outpost near the Coast Guard station in Miami Beach; it crosses over a channel called Government Cut that is 50 feet deep. A typical ferry ride only lasts seven minutes, according to the Fisher Island website. The ferry from which the Mercedes fell is named The Pelican, a 113-foot passenger vessel built in 1981 that had its last inspection on May 2, 2019, according to The Miami Herald .
It is currently unknown how the car fell into the water; the Coast Guard and the Miami-Dade Police Department are investigating the situation. An eyewitness described the ferry to The Miami Herald as open in both the front and the back, lined only with a chain to keep cars and passengers on the boat.
The Fisher Island Community Association is cooperating with investigations, according to a statement made by president and CEO Roberto Sosa. "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the tragic loss of life of Emma Afra and Vivian Brahms who perished on Tuesday, February 18, when the car they were riding on the ferry ended up in the water for reasons still to be determined," the statement said . "The entire Fisher Island community mourns their loss and our hearts and prayers go out to their families and loved ones at this very difficult time."
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