PANAMA CITY BEACH — The Last Echo, a sailboat left sitting on the beach at Camp Helen State Park, will be removed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at the end of this week.
The boat was reported to FWC officials on Oct. 14, 2014, according to FWC spokeswoman Bekah Nelson. Nelson said the commission is following Florida Statute 705 in their handling of the boat, which is considered abandoned property.
“This has been quicker than normal,” Nelson said of the removal process.
The statute prescribes several steps for law enforcement agencies to follow before removing lost or abandoned property from public areas, including making their best effort to find and notify the owner.
“Ultimately the responsibility is with the owner,” Nelson said, but because of the statute, FWC is taking charge.
A law enforcement officer posted a notice on the boat Dec. 7, 2014, stating the owner had five days to remove it, as the Florida statute requires. However, the boat was still there more than two months later as the FWC prepares to remove it themselves.
“Charges could be forthcoming, but the main focus is getting the boat removed,” Nelson said.
Nelson could not provide information on the boat’s owner.
