Indian American Couple Dies in a Head-on Jet Ski Crash While Vacationing in Florida

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as well as the local police are investigating an accident in which an Indian American couple from Virginia died in a head-on collision. Sunil K. Khanna, 73, and Nishi Khanna, 65, of Springfield, Virginia, were reportedly on a jet ski near Big Carlos Pass on Dec. 10 when they crashed with a boat. The two were riding as part of a tour group with Mid Island Watersports, according to WINK News. No additional injuries were reported, WINK News said, citing local police.

One witness told WINK News that both the jet ski and boat were going fast when they “crashed head-on.” Dr. Rob Kopp, an ENT surgeon, who was having lunch with his wife at Flippers on The Bay, a waterfront restaurant near where the crash happened, told WINK News that when he heard the crash, he swam out and tried to help. “I just heard this real loud boom… and then there was a gasp from the restaurant,” Kopp told WINK News. He said, “15 to 20 people rushed to help after the crash.” He said “he’s thankful that so many people tried” to help but is devastated by the outcome.

Andress Herrera, general manager at Flippers on The Bay, also saw the crash as it happened. He told WINK News that when people saw the first guy floating, “they started screaming, telling them to pull him out of the water. One is still under the jet ski, so somebody jumped in and went under and pull her out.”

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The Khannas were taken to two separate local hospitals, where they later died. The couple was on vacation with two friends and were scheduled to return to Virginia this weekend.