yacht sinking wa

$10 Million Yacht Sinks During Launch in Washington State

A $10 million, 90-foot yacht was being launched in Washington state when it suddenly capsized.

The yacht, named Baden, had already been lowered into the water in Anacortes, about 80 miles north of Seattle, when it slowly tilted and then sank, according to media reports .

The cause of last month's accident is under investigation, but New World Yacht Builders, which built the yacht under the Northern Marine brand, said the problem appeared to be in the launch apparatus, not with the boat.

"The physical evidence on, and adjacent to, the launch ramp suggests that the dolly carrying the weight of the port stern of the yacht may have suddenly dropped off the edge of the boat ramp during the launch, causing the vessel to experience a sudden list to port, from which it could not recover in its light condition for launch," Northern Marine said in a press release .

A YouTube video from YachtVid shows someone at the launch ceremony breaking the ritual champagne bottle on the hull before the boat slid into the water.

As it entered the water, the vessel started to lean to the port side, and then quickly capsized. Six people were on board and all escaped serious injury, according to reports.

Northern Marine said it has launched more than 35 vessels at the same ramp with no previous problems. Baden is a so-called "explorer yacht," designed more for remote expeditions than leisure.

The company added that it has "complete confidence" in its designs. According to a local media report , New World Yacht has since laid off its staff of 52 and production has been suspended.

—CNBC and NBC News staff

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WA principal facing child exploitation charges suddenly dies

Dramatic ocean rescue to save wa father and young son from sinking yacht off rottnest island.

Father, son rescued after yacht hits rocks off Rottnest

A West Australian father and his 11-year-old son are lucky to be alive after their yacht crashed into a reef , sparking a dramatic nighttime rescue in treacherous conditions.

Their vessel hit rocks off Thomson Bay at Rottnest Island, a popular tourist spot off WA’s coast, about 8.30pm on Thursday.

Watch more in the video above

Marine radio captured the 40-year-old father’s distressing calls for help as their boat started taking on water.

“We are in the water and we are being crushed by broken furniture,” he can be heard saying in a desperate mayday call.

“We are currently stuck in forward gear and cannot disengage and we cannot reverse.

“I have a child on board, an 11-year-old, who is in distress.”

WA police released footage showing the ship sinking in the darkness.

Two police boats were sent to the unfolding emergency, but high winds and dangerous conditions hindered their ability to reach the sinking vessel.

Then a wind change shifted the yacht’s position, allowing emergency services to get close enough to rescue the father and son about 9.30pm.

Remarkably, the pair escaped with minor injuries - the dad, bruising and the son a broken arm - but their situation could have been much worse.

The high stakes rescue would have been a distressing ordeal for the family, Inspector Steve Scott said.

“They’re in darkness, they’re on the reef, they’re wondering when people are coming to effect a rescue for them,” he said.

Scott said the yacht had suffered a mechanical issue that meant it was stuck in gear and made it difficult to avoid the reef.

“Once he hit the reef, he had all the appropriate safety equipment and acted very calmly and activated his EPIRB, and called out to the water police coordination centre via the radio.

“That allowed us to know his location and successfully rescue them.”

The Rottnest Island Authority and Department of Transport are working to carry out a salvage operation.

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2 men rescued, crews searching for 3rd man after crabbing boat sinks near Willapa Bay

by KOMO News Staff

LONG BEACH, Wash. — Two men were rescued and a third man is still missing after their crabbing boat sank near Willapa Bay Sunday night.

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued the two men from their life raft by helicopter after the MV Ethel May, a 46-foot crabbing boat, sank around 7:30 p.m. The two men told rescue crews that a third crewmember was missing.

Crews are continuing to search from the air and water for the man alongside several state and local agencies. Search crews found debris from the ship indicating that it had broken apart.

“We want nothing more than to find the last individual from the fishing vessel Ethel May,” said Lt. Cmdr. Colin Fogarty, the search and rescue mission coordinator for Sector Columbia River.

The two men rescued were taken to Willapa Harbor Hospital.

RELATED | Arrest made in stolen yacht rescue, 'Goonies' fish incident

USCG crews rescued a man nearby Friday after the yacht he stole capsized in high waves off the coast of Astoria, Oregon.

OOPS: Brand new $10-million yacht sinks in Anacortes moments after launch (VIDEO)

YouTube screen capture

ANACORTES, Wash -- A multi-million-dollar yacht sank in Anacortes last weekend moments after it's launch. No one was injured, but investigators are trying to figure out why it sank after just a few seconds on the water. This video shows the launch and the capsizing of the yacht. Earlier this week crews were able to right the vessel with the help of a huge crane . WATCH THE SINKING VIDEO BELOW: http://youtu.be/lEBJjsdTyWY?t=2m51s

Police Commissioner Col Blanch praises rescue of pair from sinking yacht off Hillarys

Top cop praises rescue of crew from sinking yacht.

Police Commissioner Col Blanch has thanked those who helped rescue two crew members from a sinking yacht off Hillarys, saying it could have been a “very dangerous and tragic outcome”.

The pair were recovered from a single-masted yacht called the Serenity which was believed to have run aground on a reef on Sunday.

Police say they responded to an emergency call about 4.35pm, advising them there was two people onboard and water was flooding the vessel.

Vision showed the front of the yacht was left almost submerged in the choppy waters off Hillarys.

Water police and Department of Fire and Emergency Services marine rescue Whitfords deployed vessels to the area, while the Westpac Life Saver rescue helicopter and RAC Rescue helicopter were also activated.

The marine rescue crew arrived at the scene first, and were able to confirm the two crew members were still onboard the vessel and remained alongside them until water police arrived a short time later.

Dramatic body-worn camera vision shows the moment police arrived, telling the pair: “We’ll get you to come aboard our boat, you’re going down. You need to get off.”

The two crew members onboard were taken to Hillarys marina and remarkably, they avoided serious injury.

Meanwhile, debris spilled into the water after it took just minutes for the boat sink.

On Monday, Mr Blanch thanked everyone who responded to the emergency.

“It was a great response and saved lives because it could have been a very dangerous and a tragic outcome, but thankfully, a good result,” he said.

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Fishing ship sinks, spilling massive amount of diesel fuel near endangered orcas in Washington state

By Emily Mae Czachor

August 15, 2022 / 11:49 AM EDT / CBS News

Law enforcement, environmental agencies and a whale advocacy group have joined forces in Washington state, where a massive oil spill continues to pollute waters that are home to an endangered breed of orca as well as other marine species.

The oil spill began on Saturday morning, when a 49-foot fishing vessel sank near the coast of San Juan Island, according to the U.S. Coast Guard . Officials estimate that the vessel was carrying about  2,500 gallons of diesel fuel, plus an additional 100 gallons of hydraulic fluid and lubricant oil, on board. The vessel was still leaking diesel fuel into the water on Sunday evening, the Coast Guard said.

A coordinated response was launched that morning after all crew members aboard the Aleutian Isle were rescued and a sprawling oil sheen was observed floating north in the water near Canada. The sheen reportedly spanned two miles, according to the agency.

#HappeningNow #USCG , NOAA, and other partner agencies are responding to a pollution incident west of Sunset Point, Sand Juan Island. A 49-foot fishing vessel sank w/ an estimated 2600 gal diesel/oil onboard. All crew were rescued by good Samaritan. Follow for updates. pic.twitter.com/GhbkarvloN — USCGPacificNorthwest (@USCGPacificNW) August 14, 2022

Officials say they are focusing on public safety and taking steps to mitigate damage to wildlife as the diesel fuel permeates marine habitats. 

"The safety of the local public and their interests, and preservation of the environment and protected marine species, continue to be the top priorities throughout the response and recovery process," the Coast Guard said in a news release, noting that air monitoring equipment was moved to the San Juan islands over the weekend to track airborne contaminants that could pose risks to the surrounding community.

Along with Coast Guard crews, personnel from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and The Whale Museum's Sound Watch conservation program have been monitoring area waters for marine mammal activity, with a focus on southern resident killer whales, an endangered species that experts believe now has a population of fewer than 100 .

Although a few of the whales were reportedly seen near San Juan Island when the fishing vessel sank, none appeared to be in the "immediate proximity" of the spill and seemed to travel in the opposite direction after it happened, the Coast Guard said. 

As of Sunday night, the vessel had sunk more than 100 feet below the water. The Coast Guard said "a plan is being developed to efficiently and safely enact containment and recovery of pollutants" and potentially salvage parts of the ship as well. Diving operations were scheduled to take place on Monday, and more detailed assessments of the wreckage and remaining pollution are expected to follow.

• Endangered Species

Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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‘black swan’ weather phenomenon may have sunk bayesian yacht, experts say.

A rare and unexpected “black swan” weather event may have led to the Bayesian superyacht’s speedy demise , maritime experts claim.

The spontaneous formation of a tornado-like waterspout would have given the 22 passengers and crew aboard the luxury vessel little to no time to react to the violent storm Monday before the ship capsized and sank, killing one and leaving six others missing.

Marine experts believe the large waterspout — a slim column of spinning air below a thunderstorm that occurs over water — was a “black swan event” or a weather phenomenon characterized by its extreme rarity and severe impact, similar to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, they told the Times UK.

“That water carries significant weight,” Matthew Schanck, chairman of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, told the Times. “And if the waterspout ends up dumping a load of that water on board the vessel, that’s going to cause significant damage.”

The Bayesian is believed to have sunk within minutes after being struck by the early morning storm. Six people, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and top New York City lawyer Christopher Morvillo, remained missing Wednesday as Italian officials investigate the ship’s sudden sinking.

One expert, Andrea Ratti, a nautical design professor at Milan Polytechnic University, suggested the ship may have sunk so quickly because its windows, portholes or other openings may have been broken or smashed open by the powerful waterspout, allowing the vessel to quickly fill and sink.

However, a UK industry expert said sinking a ship of that size should have taken hours.

“I don’t think the industry has ever faced anything like this. It’s a horror story,” the unnamed expert declared.

Meteorologists told the outlet the weather conditions that led to the ship’s demise were consistent with a waterspout and that a lot of unpredictability comes with tornado warnings.

“There was a big thunderstorm just to the north of Sicily, a lot of lightning activity, lot of heavy rain, very strong signature of what we call ‘cold cloud tops’ on the satellite pictures. All of those things would add up to a thunderstorm that could easily spawn a waterspout,” said Dr. Pete Inness, a meteorology lecturer at the University of Reading in Berkshire, UK.

Inness noted that with tornado warnings, officials can estimate when and where they will happen, but until one forms, they don’t know all the details, including how strong they will be.

Additionally, like tornadoes, waterspouts are short-lived weather events that go undetected on radars. Along with the fact that it was dark out during the storm, it would’ve been difficult for the crew to realize what was happening, Inness said.

There were 18 confirmed waterspouts off the coast of Italy on Aug. 19, according to the International Center for Waterspout Research.

Other experts questioned why the crew wasn’t paying closer attention to various weather warnings ahead of the tragedy.

“I don’t know if there was anyone on board consulting the radar. Let’s say that if I had been on board, at the first sign of a thunderstorm, I would have woken up all the occupants and been ready and alert with lifejackets on until the storm was over,” one of Italy’s leading climate experts, Luca Mercalli, told the outlet.

Even if they had been paying closer attention, it was unlikely the crew could have been prepared for such a “high impact, low probability” weather event, Schanck added.

“I’ve reviewed the forecasts. There was nothing other than thunder. There was nothing that jumped out to me that made it a dangerous decision to anchor there,” he said.

The experts also squashed a theory shared by American entrepreneur Scott Painter , who suggested the ship’s 240-foot-tall mast — the tallest of its kind — may have made the vessel more vulnerable in the powerful weather event.

One rescue diver told Italian media the yacht was “practically intact” underwater, and Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy commander, said the idea that the mast would make the ship unstable was “just incorrect.”

“That mast is designed to have a massive sail hanging off it. So on its own with no sail, that’s not what has caused the boat to go over.”

An official investigation into the incident will likely take months, prosecutors in Sicily said.

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• What is known about the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily and those aboard

PORTICELLO, Sicily (AP) — Specialist cave divers working in 12-minute underwater shifts were searching Tuesday for six missing passengers and crew, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, believed to be in the submerged wreck of a luxury yacht that was slammed by a powerful storm and swiftly sank off Sicily.

The sleek yacht, named the Bayesian, was carrying a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers when it suddenly sank near the Mediterranean island that is part of Italy at about 4 a.m. on Monday. One body has been recovered and 15 people survived.

Fire rescue officials have said the six believed to remain in the sailboat’s hull will be considered missing until they are located in the wreckage.

Here’s what we know so far about the sinking and those who were on board.

What happened?

Italian civil protection officials believe a sudden and fierce storm that battered the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday whipped up a waterspout in the exact spot where the 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged Bayesian was moored.

Karsten Borner, the captain of another yacht moored nearby, said he saw the Bayesian during the storm but when the wild weather passed it was gone and he saw only a red flare lighting the night sky, the Italian news agency ANSA and the Giornale di Sicilia newspaper reported.

Borner and one of his crew boarded their tender and found a lifeboat carrying 15 people, some of them injured. They took them aboard their yacht and alerted the coast guard.

• Divers resume search for 6 missing when yacht sank off Sicily, including tech magnate Mike Lynch
• Tech tycoon, defense attorney, and Morgan Stanley banker among those missing in freak yacht sinking

Rescue authorities said the wreck was resting at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet) about a half mile offshore of the picturesque fishing village of Porticello.

Who was on board?

Among the missing is 59-year-old tech tycoon Mike Lynch, sometimes described as the British Bill Gates. Lynch was acquitted in June of all charges in a U.S. fraud trial linked to the $11 billion sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

Lynch still faced a potentially huge bill stemming from a civil case in London that HP mostly won during 2022. Damages haven’t been determined in that case, but HP is seeking $4 billion. Lynch made more than $800 million from the Autonomy sale.

A Cambridge-educated mathematician, Lynch made his name running Autonomy, which made a search engine that could pore through emails and other internal business documents to help companies find vital information more quickly.

Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah was reportedly among the missing. His wife, Angela Bacares, and 14 other people survived.

Among others still missing Tuesday, according to the civil protection agency, were one of Lynch’s U.S. lawyers, Christopher Morvillo of Clifford Chance, and Morvillo’s wife, Neda. Morvillo was regarded as an elite defense lawyer and was also a federal prosecutor in New York after 9/11.

Also missing was Jonathan Bloomer, the non-executive chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife, Judy. He is the former head of the Autonomy audit committee and testified for the defense at Lynch’s trial.

Bloomer was also chair of the Hiscox Group, an insurer that does business on the Lloyd’s of London market.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event,” Hiscox CEO Aki Hussain said in a statement.

Among the survivors was Charlotte Golunski, who said she momentarily lost hold of her 1-year-old daughter Sofia in the water, but then managed to grab her and hold her up over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were both pulled to safety, ANSA reported. The father, identified by ANSA as James Emslie, also survived.

The Dutch foreign ministry said a Dutch man survived. The ministry, citing privacy, did not release his identity.

One body was recovered on Monday, identified as the on-board chef.

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What is the Bayesian?

The Bayesian was a luxury yacht built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Nav. It was known for its single 75-meter (246-feet) aluminum mast — one of the world’s tallest. Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $215,000) a week.

Its registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd., based on the Isle of Man, according to online maritime database Equasis. Lynch’s wife is listed as Revtom’s sole owner, according to corporate registration documents from the Isle of Man.

The yacht’s name is an apparent reference to “Bayesian inference,” one of the two main approaches to statistical machine learning and the one that was used by Autonomy.

What is a waterspout?

Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water and can happen when a storm moves across warm water.

According to the U.S. National Ocean Service, there are two types of waterspouts — fair-weather and tornadic.

Tornadic waterspouts “have the same characteristics as a land tornado. They are associated with severe thunderstorms, and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning,” the service says on its website.

While scientists haven’t attributed the specific event to climate change, average monthly surface temperatures have been at record highs for months. Hotter air can hold more moisture, making heavier storms more likely.

Sicily has been baking under intense heat this summer, and the United Nations’ panel of climate change experts notes the Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to climate change, with warming rates roughly 20% higher than the global average.

How rare is it for a huge sailboat like this to capsize?

Experts say it is extraordinarily rare for a luxury sailboat of this size to capsize due to weather events.

“This just doesn’t happen. You know, boats sink because things like keels fall off, or they run aground and breach the hull … whereas just from a weather angle, a boat that big being pushed over on its side is absolutely extraordinary,” said Skip Novak, a lifelong sailor who has taken part in multiple round the world yacht races and written books about sailing.

Novak said he believed that strong gusts likely pushed the yacht over 90 degrees to its side, and the vessel did not recover because of the weight of the huge mast and because it was anchored. He suggested that internal doors were likely not closed, and water quickly poured in to sink the vessel.

“When you’re at anchor, even if it’s blowing with a storm in the Mediterranean, you rarely shut the whole boat down because nobody expects something like this to happen,” Novak told The Associated Press. “So if the boat wasn’t completely watertight at the deck, you’d have flooding going in. It would take a couple minutes and that would be it.”

What happens next?

As the search for the missing continues, authorities already have begun trying to piece together exactly what happened.

Prosecutors from the Sicilian town of Termini Imerese have opened an investigation, as is normal in such events even when no suspects are identified. To date, they have not commented publicly.

The British Marine Accident Investigation Branch said four of its inspectors were being deployed to Palermo.

Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press writer Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report.

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Fishing vessel sinks off San Juan Island; Coast Guard responding to fuel spill

On Monday, dive teams will work to recover diesel fuel and possibly salvage wreckage after a fishing vessel sank west of San Juan Island on Saturday.

The 49-foot commercial fishing vessel had around 2,500 gallons of diesel fuel and a combined 100 gallons of hydraulic fluid and lubricant oil aboard. Diesel fuel is now slowly leaking from the boat, which is at a depth of more than 100 feet.

All five crew members aboard the Aleutian Isle were rescued by a good Samaritan as the vessel sank, the Coast Guard announced.

Around 2 p.m., Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound got a report that the Aleutian Isle was taking on water near Sunset Point and was in need of emergency assistance.

An Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, a Station Bellingham 45-foot response boat, and the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Swordfish (WPB-87358) all responded, the Coast Guard said.

Once it knew that all crewmembers were accounted for, the Coast Guard started a pollution survey and began response efforts with partner agencies. Around 5 p.m., a visible oil sheen covering nearly 2 miles was seen on the water.

Because the incident happened near the maritime border, the Coast Guard is working with the Canadian Coast Guard Regional Operations Center, as well as the San Juan County Office of Emergency Management, Washington State Department of Ecology, the Island Oil Spill Association, and others.

“We are working with government and industry partners to ensure an efficient and effective containment and recovery response,” said Lt. Cdr. Brian Dykens, Sector Puget Sound incident management division chief. “The local public, the environment and protected marine species are our top priority.”

A plan was developed to contain and recover diesel fuel in the water, remove potential pollutants from the sunken boat, and potentially salvage the wreckage. Materials are in place to recover fuels and protect environmentally sensitive areas.

Divers will conduct an assessment, plug the boat’s vents and then begin the defueling process on Monday. A 1,000-foot safety zone will be in place around all responding dive boats.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is also conducting a resources-at-risk assessment and spill trajectory analysis, giving specific attention to protecting marine mammals in the area.

With the assistance of the Whale Museum of Friday Harbor, Coast Guard crews monitored southern resident orcas in the area overnight.

According to the Coast Guard, it appeared that the orcas moved west near Port Angeles.

#HappeningNow #USCG , NOAA, and other partner agencies are responding to a pollution incident west of Sunset Point, Sand Juan Island. A 49-foot fishing vessel sank w/ an estimated 2600 gal diesel/oil onboard. All crew were rescued by good Samaritan. Follow for updates. pic.twitter.com/GhbkarvloN — USCGPacificNorthwest (@USCGPacificNW) August 14, 2022

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Sunken Yacht's Crew Reveals What They Say Happened Before Tragedy: 'Thrown Into the Water' and 'Walking on the Walls'

The captain and a sailor and engineer have spoken with investigators, according to Italian news media

The captain and two crew members now under investigation in connection with the sinking of the yacht  Bayesian  off the coast of Sicily last month are reportedly sharing some of what they say happened as the tragedy unfolded, ultimately killing seven aboard .

According to multiple Italian news outlets, sailor Matthew Griffiths, who was on watch duty at the time, and Tim Parker Eaton, the ship’s engineer, as well as captain James Cutfield have each spoken with investigators about what led up to the  Bayesian  going into the water.

The Italian coast guard previously said the vessel sank around 5 a.m. local time on Aug. 19 after a "violent storm" while near Porticello in northern Sicily.

Twelve passengers and 10 crew were aboard: Six of the passengers — including British tech businessman Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah as well as two couples — were killed along with the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas.

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Griffiths, speaking with investigators, said that “I woke up the captain when the wind was at 20 knots [23 mph]. He gave the order to wake everyone else up,” according to the  La Stampa  newspaper.

“Then I put away the cushions and plants,” Griffiths is quoted as saying. “I closed the glass windows of the lounge at the bow as well as the hatches.”

Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano has previously referred in a press conference to a "sudden and unexpected event" of weather before the sinking and said the yacht had been "hit by a downburst."

Italian TV network RAI quoted Griffiths as telling investigators that the yacht’s crew all went into the sea because of the weather but “managed to climb back on board.”

"The ship tilted and we were thrown into the water. Then we … tried to save those we could,” he said, per  La Stampa .

“The boat was tilted and we were walking on the walls,” he said. Similar comments were also reported by ANSA , an Italian news agency.

Cutfield likewise said the  Bayesian  listed 45 degrees and then fell sharply to the right, according to what he told investigators as quoted by the  Corriere della Sera  newspaper.

According to RAI, citing what Griffiths told authorities, some of the crew created a kind of human chain to reach the passenger area from the  Bayesian ’s bridge in order to get some people off the yacht.

Eaton, the engineer, told investigators that the  Bayesian ’s hatches were closed when the weather hit, except for an entry to the engine, as quoted by  Corriere della Sera .

It remains unclear how and why the superyacht succumbed to the weather in what some witnesses have said was mere minutes. 

The  Bayesian ’s captain and Parker Eaton and Griffiths have reportedly all been placed under investigation for potential multiple manslaughter and negligent shipwreck charges — but that is not the same as being charged with a crime and none of the men have been formally accused of wrongdoing.

They have not commented publicly.

Borner, captain of the  Sir Robert Baden Powell , whose boat was nearby at the time, previously told PEOPLE that he noticed the weather deteriorated very rapidly around 3 a.m. local time on Aug. 19. 

“The weather turned very quickly and reached us even more quickly,” he said. “And the  Bayesian  was there at the time. It was anchored like us. We kept an eye on it. We had turned the engine on to maintain our position in case the anchor didn’t hold and were carefully watching it to keep at a distance from it as well. We were the only two ships out in the bay.”

Borner and a passenger saw a red flare and then a white one. It prompted Borner and his first mate to board a tender, and they headed in the direction where the  Bayesian  had been. 

“We first found things floating in the water like cushions and chairs and stuff,” Borner said. “And then we saw a flickering light. This was a life raft with a light on the top. And they also waved at us with a torch.”

“So we went there,” he added, “and then we found the crew and part of the passengers — 15 people in a 12-person raft, including a little baby .”

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