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Swine flu suspected in crew member on cruise ship
TAMPA, FL -- Six members of an extended family remain hospitalized after their pleasure boat exploded Saturday afternoon.
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials say 11 family members were aboard the 33-foot, twin engine boat when it exploded and burned to the waterline Saturday afternoon while anchored in 3 feet of water off what's known as Beer Can Island.
Six family members, including one child, were seriously injured and flown to Tampa General Hospital.
Officials identified the injured as the boat's operator, George Meyer, his wife Nancy, of Apollo Beach; 7-year-old Logan Meyer, 36-year-old Angela Meyer of Denver, Iowa, and Carrie Atherton and her husband Mike of Lutz.
"We've got a range from smoke inhalation all the way up to some burns and some very serious injuries to at least two of the people," Florida Fish and Wildlife spokesman Major Don Post said.
A spokeswoman for Tampa General Hospital said the family had asked that their conditions be kept private.
Five other children were treated for smoke inhalation. Three other family members were wading in the nearby water and weren't hurt.
Captain Mark Bogush of Tampa Fire Rescue says the explosion blew some people into the water, where they were helped by others who were boating nearby.
The cause of the explosion remains unknown.
Morse said the boat's twin engines were not operating at the time, although a gasoline generator was. It's believed a buildup of fumes in the bilge area may have caused the explosion.
The family left Apollo Beach around 10:30 a.m. and had docked at Pine Key, which is also called Beer Can Island, a popular place for boaters to anchor.
"Six children were forward watching a movie, five adults were in the aft portion of the vessel and three others were wading 30 feet from the boat when there was an explosion in the rear portion of the vessel," Morse said.
Other boaters and authorities -- including the U.S. Coast Guard and emergency crews from nearby MacDill Air Force Base -- came to the aid of the burning boat.
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