Local News
7-year-old boy undergoing emergency heart surgery after being injured by falling drones during a Christmas holiday show in Orlando
Orlando, FL – A festive Christmas drone show in Orlando turned into a chaotic scene Saturday evening when drones collided mid-air and plummeted into the crowd below at high speed, resulting in several reported injuries, including a young boy who is now in critical condition.
The incident occurred during the 6:30 p.m. performance at Lake Eola Park, where hundreds of drones from Sky Elements Drones, in partnership with the City of Orlando, were orchestrating an elaborate display of red and green lights.
The drones were programmed to form intricate holiday-themed patterns, enchanting the audience before the mishap.
Eyewitness videos captured the moment of the collision, as gasps of surprise and cries from frightened children echoed throughout the crowd.
In one video, a young child’s voice can be heard asking, “What’s happening?” as the malfunctioning drones plummeted toward the ground.
The Orlando Fire Department reported that one person sustained minor injuries during the incident.
However, two mothers, Jessica Lumedge and Adriana Edgerton, claimed that their young son was struck in the face by a falling drone and is now “fighting for his life” in the emergency room.
The boy’s mothers shared emotional updates on social media, accompanied by photos of their son in a hospital bed with visible injuries. Jessica Lumedge wrote, “Pray for my son, we went to the drone show at Lake Eola, and one of the drones hit him in the face. I’ve never been so scared.”
Adriana Edgerton echoed the sentiment, adding, “My baby is going into emergency heart surgery after just trying to watch a drone show. I am beyond words, beyond terrified. [The City of Orlando] and Sky Elements Drones really have some explaining to do. They will be held accountable for what was done to my son. I pray he makes it out of this!”
Despite the accident, the show continued for the remainder of the 6:30 p.m. performance. However, the subsequent 8 p.m. show was canceled, the City of Orlando announced on X (formerly Twitter).
Andrea Otero, the city’s public information manager, told People magazine, “We are in contact with the vendor to determine what occurred with the operation. The FAA is handling the investigation.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now working with local officials and the drone operator, Sky Elements Drones, to uncover the cause of the mid-air collision.
This incident has raised concerns over safety protocols for public drone displays and left the Orlando community shaken. The thoughts of many remain with the injured boy and his family as they await updates on his condition.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.