Man took large quantity of MDMA then stole boat 'because the swans don't judge me'

Kyle Thurston became stranded when vessel floats away

Swan boats at Lake Eola in Orlando (Joe Shlabotnik/Creative Commons)

A man who stole a boat and marooned himself on a fountain in the middle of a lake after taking MDMA suggested he did so because “the swans don’t judge him”, police have said.

Officials at the Orlando Police Department in Florida said Kyle Thurston took a swan-shaped pedalo out on Lake Eola in the middle of the night, reaching the fountain, where he got off the vessel and did not tie it up.

The boat floated off, leaving the 36-year-old stranded on the tiny island.

He began screaming for help and, after the authorities were alerted, he was eventually rescued at about 4am.

Wearing a life vest he had found on the boat, Mr Thurston proceeded to explain to his rescuers that he had been taking drugs.

According to the Orlando City Police incident report, “before Thurston was transported [to hospital] he explained he ingested a large quantity of Molly (MDMA) and wanted to be with the swans because they didn’t judge him,” officers said.

How it is meant to be done. Visitors to Lake Eola pedal a swan boat past the fountain where 36-year-old Kyle Thurston was stranded after taking MDMA (Joe Shlabotnik/Creative Commons)

The report added: "He stated he took the swan boat out onto the lake to be with the swans, and paddled it to the fountain."

Charges against Mr Thurston are pending, the Orlando Sentinel reports.