One person was injured after a boat crashed into a restaurant in Ruskin, officials said.

On Monday evening, a 39-foot SeaVee boat smashed right into the Sunset Grill restaurant on Little Harbor in Ruskin. Officials say the fog played a role in the crash.

"They weren't familiar with the territory they were in and due to the fog, just became disoriented," said Nacole Revette, spokesperson for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.

Witnesses describe hearing a loud crash and seeing people flee from the scene. The boat went so far into the restaurant, they say it was barely visible from the outside.

"You could only see the motors and, like, five feet of the boat," bystander Alyssa Haedrich said.



Seven people were on board the boat when it crashed, and one of them was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. No one inside the restaurant or on the beach was hurt.

Officials say they are not sure how fast the boat was going.

"We're still determining at what speed, or attempting to determine what speed it was going, because there are possible charges regarding unsafe speed for conditions, improper lookout, that sort of thing," Florida Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Baryl Martin said. "Any time you strike a beach, you should be paying attention to where you're going."

The fog has been so dense that crews haven't been able to start the removal process yet. They say they have to be careful because of the amount of structural damage to the restaurant.

Meanwhile, tourists say this will certainly give them something to talk about when they get home.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing to see a boat in a restaurant," Haedrich said.

So far no charges have been filed. Officials have said they do not believe alcohol was a factor in the crash.

The restaurant is currently closed, and right now they aren't sure when they will be able to reopen.

