Diving Dispute Leads to Arrest Over Oxygen Supply Tampering
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) stated that a recent diving incident was triggered by a conflict between divers and was not a boating accident. Michael Simpson faces an attempted-murder charge following the event on July 29, where he allegedly turned off a diver’s oxygen supply near Fisher Island during the lobster mini-season.
Simpson, 51, refuted the claim through a family spokesperson, insisting he did not interfere with the diving equipment. The FWC located the boat he was on and informed the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office to investigate further. Officers interviewed Simpson, but no injuries were reported by the divers who raised the concern.
According to the arrest report, the diver entered the water early in the morning at a popular lobster-diving site. The captain of the boat had to caution someone on a nearby vessel to avoid disturbing a Brownie diving system, which supplies surface air to divers. Simpson reportedly reacted angrily, proclaiming he would turn it off. Witnesses stated he did shut off the air, prompting urgent yelling from the diver’s team that they had someone underwater. The first boat’s captain swiftly rescued the diver, who surfaced in distress, tangled in equipment, and disoriented.
“We have a diver down there you a–hole,” witnesses shouted during the incident.
Simpson is a recognized figure in the local boating community, serving with the Miami-Dade County Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force, created after a fatal boat crash in 2022. He is associated with Island Queen Cruises & Tours, offering various sightseeing experiences in South Florida.
His family emphasizes his dedication to boating safety, with plans to clear his name in court. The task force, part of the response to a previous tragedy, aims to enhance boating-safety education.
Contributions to this report came from Staff Writer Milena Malaver. Grethel Aguila, who covers crime and justice for the Miami Herald, provided closing details. She is a law student and multilingual journalist passionate about storytelling.