MIAMI (AP) — Expert soccer participant Anton Walkes has died from injuries he sustained in a boat crash off the coast of Miami, authorities said Thursday.
Walkes, who was 25, was located unconscious and taken to a healthcare facility after the crash amongst two boats Wednesday in the vicinity of the Miami Maritime Stadium basin, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Walkes was functioning 1 of the boats that crashed, the point out company reported in a statement.
It was unclear irrespective of whether anyone else was hurt. The agency’s investigation is ongoing.
Walkes, a defender, was entering his second year with MLS club Charlotte FC. The team experienced arrived in Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 9 for its initial leg of preseason teaching and experienced a pleasant scheduled with St. Louis on Saturday. That match has been cancelled.
Charlotte FC proprietor David Tepper claimed all at the club were “devastated by the tragic passing of Anton Walkes.”
“He was a huge son, father, husband or wife and teammate whose joyous strategy to existence touched every person he met,” Tepper mentioned in a club statement.
Walkes joined Charlotte for the club’s debut MLS time in 2022. He performed in 23 matches with 21 starts off and had five photographs on target this earlier year.
“Anton created individuals all-around him greater people today in all areas of existence and represented Charlotte FC to the maximum normal both of those on and off the pitch,” Tepper explained.
Followers began laying flowers outside of the east gate of Charlotte’s Bank of The us Stadium on Thursday. A vigil was prepared there in the early evening.
Walkes commenced his profession with English Premier League club Tottenham and also played for Portsmouth before signing with Atlanta United in the MLS, where by he invested 3 seasons.
The MLS produced a assertion expressing “there are no words to explain the sorrow of everybody in Key League Soccer currently.”
“Anton was a talented and devoted participant who was liked by his teammates and admirers,” the assertion stated.
In 2016, a boat crash off Miami Beach killed Important League Baseball player Jose Fernandez, a star pitcher for the Miami Marlins. Fernandez and two other people died when their 32-foot vessel slammed into a jetty, according to authorities.
Charlotte FC teammate Jaylin Lindsey reported he was “heartbroken” to discover of Walkes’ death.
“Fly superior my brother, you are the most effective teammate I could’ve requested for,” Lindsey Tweeted. “Love you guy.”
Tottenham Hotspur also tweeted: “We are deeply saddened to listen to of the passing of former player, Anton Walkes. The views of absolutely everyone at the Club are with his loved ones and pals at this unbelievably unfortunate time.”
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