The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has clarified an incident that involved a dispute between divers, unrelated to any boating accident. Michael Simpson faced an attempted-murder charge for allegedly cutting a diver’s oxygen supply during a contention over a diving spot on July 29. This occurred around half a mile east of Fisher Island.
Following the incident, Simpson claimed FWC “cleared him” shortly after. However, the Commission stated they notified the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) after identifying the boat Simpson was on. MDSO arrested Simpson and is leading the ongoing investigation.
Simpson’s family spokesman denied the accusations, stating he never tampered with anyone’s diving equipment. According to the FWC, officers located the vessel, interviewed Simpson, but details of his statements remain unspecified.
No one on the diver’s boat suffered injuries, but they considered it necessary to alert law enforcement.
On July 29, the diver entered the water early in the morning at a well-known lobster-diving location. The boat’s captain reportedly warned someone on a 39-foot Contender to avoid a Brownie diving compressor, which provides divers with fresh air. Simpson allegedly informed, “I’ll turn the Brownie off if I want to!” and proceeded to disable it, as per the arrest report.
Witnesses describe Simpson purposefully cutting the Brownie air supply, which led to the diver’s air being interrupted. Aboard the first boat, individuals shouted, “We have a diver down there,” as detailed in the report. The captain of the first boat dove in, rescuing the diver using the Brownie’s air hose.
When the diver surfaced, he was entangled in air hoses and an anchor line, displaying confusion and shortness of breath, according to witnesses.
Simpson holds significant influence in the boating community. He participated in Miami-Dade County’s Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force, established in 2024 posthumously honoring Luciana “Lucy” Fernandez. Lucy died following a boat crash in Biscayne Bay, with Katerina “Katy” Puig suffering severe disabilities from the incident.
George Pino, driving the vessel when it collided with a channel marker, was acquitted in June of manslaughter and vessel-homicide charges. Boating safety education and law enforcement on Biscayne Bay were among the recommendations from the task force’s July report.
Simpson also owns Island Queen Cruises & Tours, offering varied maritime excursions. His family asserted Simpson’s dedication to boating safety. They emphasized his long-standing responsible boating reputation and expressed his eagerness to clarify matters and restore his name in court.
Miami Herald contributor Milena Malaver provided information for this report. Staff Writer Grethel Aguila, covering courts and criminal justice, graduated from the University of Florida, and is multilingual, fluent in Spanish and Arabic. Additionally, Aguila is a part-time law student.