The US Coast Guard rescued two people this weekend after their luxury sports yacht sank off the Florida coast.
The operator of the Atlantis, an 80-foot yacht. alerted the US Coast Guard on Saturday morning that the boat had struck an object and was taking on water.
The yacht was three miles off the coast of the picturesque city of St Augustine, Florida when the call came in.
Pictures showed the stern of the vessel sinking beneath the waves before it finally tipped into a vertical position and sank further.
St John’s County Fire Department rescued both people on board, according to the US Coast Guard. The cause of the incident is still under investigation.
An alert was subsequently issued for nearby mariners about the partially submerged yacht, which was still in the water as of late Monday evening, the US Coast Goard told The Independent.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to St. John’s County Fire and Rescue for their invaluable assistance during this case,” Senior Chief Petty Officer Ricardo Santacana, from the US Coast Guard, said in a statement.
“With the weather improving and mariners heading out onto the water, it’s imperative for everyone to verify the presence of all necessary safety equipment aboard their vessel.”
“This ensures that responders, as demonstrated in this case, can swiftly locate you and render assistance when an emergency arises,” he continued.
Sports yachts of a similar size to Atlantis are typically worth upwards of $1m, according to International Yacht Sales.
Earlier this year, a pod of orcas managed to sink a sailing yacht near the Strait of Gibraltar. However, that vessel was much smaller, measuring roughly 50ft.
The March incident was the latest in a string of orca-related yacht sinkings in the region. Marine experts at the time said they believe a subpopulation of about 15 orcas known as “Gladis” is carrying out these attacks.
This story was updated to include comment from the US Coast Guard.
