MIAMI, Florida — A routine lobster-diving trip off the Florida coast turned into a life-or-death situation when a man allegedly jumped into the water and shut off a teenager’s air supply — all because he was angry that someone else was diving in what he considered his spot.
It started early on July 29, when a boat captain brought several juveniles out on the water near Miami to dive for lobsters.
They had barely anchored when 51-year-old Michael Simpson pulled up in another boat and began circling them aggressively. He anchored about 10 feet away and warned that a larger boat was coming. Sure enough, a second vessel arrived and anchored nearby.
What Happened Underwater
One of the juveniles was already in the water using a tankless diving unit — a system where air is pumped through a hose connected to a flotation device on the surface.
After a heated exchange between the boat owners, Simpson made a chilling threat. He said he could turn the air off if he wanted to.
Then he jumped in and did exactly that.
“We Have a Diver Down There”
The boat captain screamed at Simpson before diving in to rescue the boy himself.
When the teenager surfaced, he was tangled in the hose and anchor line — gasping for air and visibly disoriented. He did not fully understand what had just happened to him.
Video footage showed Simpson swimming away and then fleeing in his boat.
Arrest and Charges
Investigators tracked Simpson down and he turned himself in to Miami-Dade County Jail on Tuesday.
He declined to speak with detectives.
Simpson is facing an attempted murder charge and was being held on a $10,000 bond as of Wednesday morning.
The diver was not seriously injured — but those on the boat say it could have ended very differently.
What do you think should happen to someone who pulls a stunt like this? Share your thoughts in the comments.