Two persons were rescued by the United States Coast Guard this past weekend after the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Florida.
On the morning of May 26th, the 80-foot yacht Atlantis’ operator notified the US Coast Guard that their vessel had collided with something and was subsequently taking on water.
The boat was three miles from the shore of the 458-year-old Florida city of St. Augustine when the distress signal was received.
Factors such as speed, engine efficiency, fuel capacity, and weather conditions determine the normal range of an 80-foot yacht on a single tank of fuel, which may range from 1,000 to 1,500 nautical miles.
Because they don’t need fuel tanks, sailing yachts can go almost anywhere, although they move at a slower pace.
Yacht sellers report that sports boats like Atlantis may fetch prices of over $1 million.
In the rescue photos, the Atlantic’s bow was seen sliding under the waves, then flipping over and continuing to sink. Although it was still in the sea as of late Saturday, the half-submerged yacht caught the attention of local boaters.
The US Coast Guard reported that the two individuals on board were rescued by the St. John’s County Fire Department.
In a statement, US Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer Ricardo Santacana expressed his deepest thanks to St. John’s County Fire and Rescue for their tremendous support during this investigation.
As the weather becomes better and more sailors go out on the water, it’s more important than ever to make sure that every vessel has all the required safety gear. This guarantees that in the event of an emergency, rescuers can easily find you and help you out.
A sailing yacht in the Strait of Gibraltar was sunk earlier this year by a pod of orcas. The ship was only around 50 feet in length. Yachts in the area have been sinking at an alarming rate as of late, with the most recent tragedy occurring in March. At the time, marine specialists speculated that a group of around fifteen orcas might have been responsible for the damage.
