Two Rescued After Luxury Yacht Sinks Off St. Augustine

On Saturday, local first responders rescued two people from a sinking luxury yacht off the coast of St. Augustine, Florida. 

Just after 1130 hours on Saturday morning, Sector Jacksonville received a call on Channel 16 from the yacht Atlantis, an 80-foot Sunseeker. The operator believed that they had struck something in the water, and the vessel was flooding.

Coast Guard Station Mayport launched a boat crew to the scene, and the local sheriff's office, the police department, county first responders and nearby good samaritans all converged on the vessel. Local police marine units arrived first, and they safely rescued the two people aboard the yacht. One individual sustained minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The submerged object was likely a dredge pipe piling, according to St. Johns County Fire Rescue. Photos released by the rescue agency show a large hole in the bow of the vessel at the waterline. 

All images courtesy St. Johns County Fire Rescue

Atlantis was a 1999-built Sunseeker Predator 80 with a top speed of 45 knots, according to Boat International. Local media assessed its value as approximately $1 million. 

As of Saturday, the vessel remained partially afloat, with just the bow visible. The Coast Guard has marked the hazard with buoys and issued a notice to mariners to warn of the potential risk to navigation. The vessel's owner is making salvage arrangements, according to the Coast Guard.