yacht on fire today

Virginia Beach yacht, 75-foot, catches fire, 3 people on board rescued in dramatic fashion

A 75-foot-yacht off the coast of Cape Henry in Virginia Beach caught fire, forcing its occupants to jump into the water, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Mayday call for "a recreational vessel on fire" came in around 3:30 a.m. Friday, a spokesperson of the U.S. Coast Guard told USA TODAY over the phone.

Motor Vessel Savage, a 75-foot-yacht, was on fire about two miles off the coast of Cape Henry.

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Three adults who were on board the vessel jumped into the water and were later rescued by a pilot boat, said U.S.C.G.

Dramatic rescue: Video shows 7 people being rescued after seaplane crashes near PortMiami: Watch

Three people aboard jumped into waters, rescued from burning yacht

"All three were picked up within approximately 10 minutes by pilot boats and no injuries are recorded," said the U.S.C.G.

The Virginia Beach Fire Department, assisting the Coast Guard, towed the boat to Fort Story, a military base on Virginia Beach, where it is still smoldering.

The fire department is fighting the fire from the shore, said the spokesperson, adding that the vessel is against a rock. The U.S.C.G. is also monitoring the situation, with a boat on scene.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, said the U.S.C.G.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Virginia Beach yacht, 75-foot, catches fire, 3 people on board rescued in dramatic fashion

This is a file photo of from 2011 of Virginia Beach, VA. On March 8th, 2024, a large yacht caught fire causing the 3 people aboard to jump into frigid waters. They had to be rescued by a pilot boat.

Extensive damage to luxury yacht during blaze at Hamilton Island Marina

hammo yacht fire

A blaze that erupted at a Whitsundays island marina on Monday morning has caused extensive damage to a luxury yacht.

Key points:

  • A luxury yacht has been destroyed after catching fire while moored at Hamilton Island
  • The cause of the fire is unknown
  • No-one was onboard at the time, but two people have been assessed for smoke inhalation

Authorities report the fire broke out onboard the boat, which was moored at Hamilton Island Marina, just before 11am.

Emergency services took several hours to contain the blaze, with active flames and smoke still evident at 1pm. 

No-one was on board at the time of the fire, but a man in his 40s and man in his 60s have been assessed for smoke inhalation. 

A spokesperson from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service said one crew was able to contain the fire. 

hammo yacht fire 2

A spokesperson from the Queensland Police Service said officers had to travel from Airlie Beach to attend the scene. 

The cause of the fire is unknown. 

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Fisherman hero hailed after saving 3 people, 2 dogs from yacht fire

The fisherman came to the rescue as the yacht went up in flames unexpectedly.

A New Hampshire lobster fisherman saved three people and two dogs from a burning yacht near New Castle on Saturday.

An investigation is currently underway into what caused the 70-foot yacht to burn and eventually sink, authorities said.

"We don't know what caused the fire and we probably never will because the boat burned down to the waterline and there is nothing left of the boat," Sgt. Steve O'Conner of the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol told WMUR-ABC.

PHOTO: This image provided by New Hampshire State Police shows a yacht burning on the Piscataqua River in New Castle, N.H., on June 18, 2022.

Tom Hadley, from Hollis, New Hampshire, said he had noticed a bit of smoke coming from a yacht he had passed on his small fishing boat, and decided to turn around to offer his help.

The yacht, at the mouth of Little Harbor on the Piscataqua River, had burst into flames by the time Hadley came back to it. He told WMUR that he could see three people and two dogs standing on a platform in the stern of their boat.

Hadley said that they were holding pool noodles, so he yelled for them to jump into the water and then dumped his own lobster traps into the harbor to make room for the rescues.

"At first I hauled a lady on board and then we put the two dogs on board" Hadley told WMUR. "And then a younger man was half in, I hauled him over the side."

Hadley said he then saw a small fishing boat which he called over to help a third man who was clinging to the side as the heat coming from the boat increased.

"If there were an explosion the thought of being showered with burning fiberglass was not too appealing," Hadley said.

The three individuals were taken to the dock of the Wentworth Marina before being brought to Portsmouth Hospital, where they were treated, released and reunited with their dogs.

New Hampshire State Police reported that the two dogs were safe and unharmed.

A statement from the New Castle Fire Department only reported one minor injury among the three escaping the fire.

"If you ever think somebody is in distress out there, it doesn't hurt to cruise on over and check it out to make sure that they're OK," Hadley said.

The New Hampshire State Police received a 911 call about the boat fire just after 4 p.m., and was on site within minutes, according to a statement from the department.

According to police, the yacht, "Elusive", was headed toward the Wentworth Marina went one of the passengers noticed smoke below deck. The three passengers reported to police that the smoke had completely filled the boat within minutes.

Jarrod Tubbs, 33, of Jupiter, Florida, Kitt Watson, 67, and Diane Watson, 57, both of New Canaan, Connecticut -- a couple and their first mate -- lived on the yacht. As the boat has been completely lost, so have all of their belongings.

PHOTO: This image provided by New Hampshire State Police shows a yacht burning on the Piscataqua River in New Castle, N.H., on June 18, 2022.

"This was just arms are open, come on board, get warm, we're going to take care of you and it really restored my faith in humanity," Kitt Watson told WMUR-ABC.

Marine Patrol, New Hampshire fire departments from Newington and Rye, the Kittery Harbormaster, and the Salisbury Fire Department from Massachusetts, assisted at the scene, state police said.

The tide pushed the burning yacht away from the coast, and after efforts by several agencies were unsuccessful, it sank in approximately 75-feet deep water, state police said. Within two hours of the initial 911 call, the boat had been submerged and will not be recovered.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Protection have been monitoring for any excess oil spillage from the sunken yacht.

A spokesperson for the New Hampsire Department of Environmental Protection told ABC News that a sheen of diesel fuel was seen as a result of the incident, but that crews are not aware of any shoreline impacts.

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The remains of a luxury vessel at Woolwich pier in Sydney. Police are investigating after it was destroyed by fire on Saturday night.

Police investigate after luxury vessel destroyed by fire in Sydney

Only debris remained after crews were unable to extinguish the blaze that engulfed the vessel

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Police and fire investigators are looking into the cause of a blaze that destroyed a luxury motor cruiser in Sydney.

Police said emergency crews were called to a dock fire on Clarke Road at Woolwich on Sydney’s lower north shore just after 8pm Saturday to find the 27-metre vessel fully engulfed.

Crews worked to extinguish the fire but the vessel was destroyed, with only debris left floating on the water.

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Photos, video show large yacht on fire in harbor of UK port

  • A yacht worth some $7.6 million was engulfed in flames on Saturday in Torquay, England.
  • Dramatic photos show the yacht, which appears to be a Princess Y85, on fire.
  • A witness told Insider that small explosions could be heard from the yacht as the fire raged on.

Insider Today

A yacht worth some $7.6 million was engulfed in flames on Saturday while moored in a UK port.

The ship prompted a large emergency response in the town of Torquay on England's southern coast.

Dramatic photos posted to social media showed the 85ft ship ablaze.

—Grace (@Grace31307003) May 28, 2022

The ship appears to be a Princess Y85, an eight-person ship with two engines and luxury fittings. This marketing video shows the details:

The British yacht broker TWW says a new Y85 ought to cost around $7.6 million .

A witness, Grace Kedzior-MacDonough, told Insider that the yacht caught fire around midday.

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"We saw black smoke so everyone started to crowd around," she said.

By the time police and firefighters arrived to confront the blaze, the boat had burned through its moorings and was floating in the harbor, Kedzior-MacDonough said.

By then, she said, "the fire had got very out of hand."

A press officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue said the force was first called at 11.57 a.m.

She could not say when the first responders arrived, but an online statement detailing a response of several crews was issued at 1.05 p.m.

Kedzior-MacDonough said that several small explosions could be heard from the yacht as the fire continued. Fire officials said the yacht contained some 8,000 liters of diesel when it caught fire.

Local police cordoned off the area, closed nearby roads, and asked people to close their windows to avoid inhaling the smoke, per an online incident report .

Later images showed that the ship had stopped burning so intensely.

yacht on fire today

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Cuyahoga, one of the oldest Great Lakes ships, is on fire in Lake Erie

The coast guard reports the ship's crew is accounted for.

A ship with grey smoke

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The Cuyahoga, one of the oldest ships still travelling the Great Lakes, is on fire again. 

The United States Coast Guard said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Friday afternoon that the fire is ongoing. The ship's master and crew are accounted for. 

<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USCG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USCG</a> personnel are responding to a commercial vessel fire aboard the CUYAHOGA <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashtabula?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashtabula</a> by providing on-scene information and status updates via deployed boats and a helicopter. Master and crew of the CUYAHOGA are safe and accounted for. <br><br>The fire is ongoing. <a href="https://t.co/aQNJUQe4II">pic.twitter.com/aQNJUQe4II</a> &mdash; @USCGGreatLakes

Ashtabula County, the county east of Cleveland off the coast of which the Cuyahoga is located in Lake Erie, is "utilizing maximum county and city fire department resources to put out the fire," the coast guard said. 

Coast Guard marine inspectors and investigators are headed to the scene to determine the cause of the blaze, and a safety zone has been established around the ship. 

  • Future unclear for the Cuyahoga, one of the oldest Great Lakes ships, after engine room fire

Last May, the Cuyahoga reported an engine room fire, also in Lake Erie while the ship was near Pelee Island. Some of the crew's non-essential personnel were evacuated at the time and no injuries were reported. 

But one expert said at the time the ship was built in 1943 and is the oldest Canadian lake boat still in operation, and one year shy of the oldest boat on the Great Lakes, period.

NBC 6 South Florida

Fire Severely Burns Man, Destroys Yacht in Aventura

A man was airlifted to the hospital with second-degree burns., by nbc 6 • published september 2, 2022 • updated on september 3, 2022 at 2:55 pm.

A raging fire on a 72-foot yacht sent a man to the hospital with severe burns Friday in Aventura, fire officials said.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded just before 7:30 p.m. to Williams Island. Over 20 units worked on the flames, utilizing a fire boat and foam.

Officials said a man was airlifted to the hospital with second-degree burns.

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The cause of the fire was still under investigation.

Video posted by Only in Dade shows flames shooting and dark smoke billowing from the boat as firefighters worked to extinguish it.

Social media users reported seeing the plumes of smoke from afar.

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Boat on fire in Aventura😳🛥| #ONLYinDADE pic.twitter.com/B6bdLA47lE — ONLY in DADE (@ONLYinDADE) September 2, 2022

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Firefighters save more than 20 boats after blaze destroys three vessels at a marina on Sydney's Northern Beaches

Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of a blaze that ravaged three boats after more than 20 firefighters worked to prevent fire from spreading to other vessels.

Patrick Staveley

A ferocious fire has broke out at a marina on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, forcing firefighters to respond quickly to minimise the damage.

The fire began onboard a vessel moored at the Holmeport Marina at McCarrs Creek Road, Church Point at about 5am on Thursday morning.

It then spread to two other nearby boats, ultimately destroying all three.

Six Fire and Rescue NSW trucks attended the scene after receiving numerous Triple Zero calls as 22 firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to at least another 20 vessels.

They were assisted by water police officers, who helped bring one of the boats closer to the marina after it drifted out into the bay, and the RFS.

Three boats have been destroyed in a fire at a marina on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

Smoke continued to billow from the vessels and across the water of McCarrs creek after the fire was put out.

Images of the boats show the damage they suffered, appearing massively charred on the outside.

FRNSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry told the Northern Beaches Advocate hazmat crews were monitoring leaking fuel, oil and other contaminants.

“Firefighters who specialise in hazardous materials have worked on the RFS boats to put containment booms around the boats that are on fire, and that’s to contain any of the pollution that may be a result of the fire or the firefighting effort,” Supt Dewberry said.

“Leaking fuel is a concern, and that’s why the booms are out because we’re talking about probable high quantities of diesel, some petrol, and we’ve got probably LPG in there as well, but that’s all contained.”

The fire reportedly broke out at about 5am and was officially put out at about 10am. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

The three boats were all extinguished by 10am. No one was on board any of the vessels.

Supt Dewberry said while boats were still damaged, a positive result was salvaged as a number of vessels at the marina were believed to be fairly expensive.

“This could have been a lot worse. We’ve got a couple of boats on fire, fierce hot fires in a marina. They were next to a lot of other expensive boats,” he said.

“The firefighters, when they first arrived, were able to cut that fire off, saving millions of dollars of damage to other boats. We’ve lost three boats but arguably saved 20.”

Investigations are well underway to determine the cause of the fire and it is unknown whether police are treating it as suspicious.

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yacht on fire today

Fire causes significant damage to 38m Chanson in the Bahamas

The 37.8-metre Delta Marine motor yacht Chanson has been seriously damaged by a blaze that broke out while it was docked in Baker's Bay, in the Abaco island chain of the Bahamas. The fire is understood to have started in the afternoon of Friday 8 March and also affected the yacht's tender, which was captured ablaze a short distance away from the yacht. 

Footage circulating on social media shows multiple fire crews extinguishing the flames of both boats. An official statement is yet to be released, but multiple sources indicate that one individual was injured while working to put out the fire. 

The cause of the fire is not yet known.  This is a developing story. 

Chanson was delivered in 1998 by Washington-based yard Delta Marine and has sailed under various names over the years, including Beija Flor , Mimi , Scott Free and Casuarina . Eight guests could be accommodated on board and the yacht was a proven world cruiser, having completed as many as six transatlantic crossings in 2017. Her most recent sale was in 2017 with a last known asking price of $4,500,000. 

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Multiple boats damaged by fire in Newburyport

Newburyport fire say they responded to a report at around 10:45 a.m. in the area of windward yacht yard on 58 merrimac st. , published march 16, 2024 • updated on march 16, 2024 at 3:51 pm.

Firefighters responded to a boat fire in Newburyport, Massachusetts on Saturday morning.

Newburyport Fire say they responded to a report at around 10:45 a.m. in the area of Windward Yacht Yard on 58 Merrimac St.  

Authorities say a boat owner reported he had been working on his boat's transmission when the generator in the bed of his pickup truck caught on fire.

The fire quickly spread to nearby boats that sustained heat damage, while the pickup truck was a total loss.

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There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Cell phone video shows yacht docked in Fort Lauderdale marina engulfed in flames

Joseph Ojo , Reporter

Michelle Solomon , Podcast Reporter/Digital Producer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The smell of smoke lingered hours after a fire destroyed a 90-foot yacht on Thursday.

Cell phone video shows bright orange flames surrounding the vessel as dozens of firefighters work to get the fire under control.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue responded to a call around 10:30 p.m. Thursday near the Yacht Haven Park & Marina along SW 23rd Terrace.

When firefighters arrived, they found the boat completely overtaken by the flames.

On Friday morning, a look at the yacht showed the interior and exterior were completely destroyed. Visible water lines indicated that the boat began to sink as the fire tore through it.

While firefighters were able to put out the fire, the vessel is a complete loss.

Officials say no one was on the boat at the time of the fire and there were no injuries.

What caused the yacht fire remains under investigation.

(VIDEO: See the aftermath)

Copyright 2023 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.

About the Authors:

Joseph Ojo joined Local 10 in April 2021. Born and raised in New York City, he previously worked in Buffalo, North Dakota, Fort Myers and Baltimore.

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This week in south florida : mar 17, 2024, local 10 news sunday @ 9am : mar 17, 2024, local 10 news sunday @ 7am : mar 17, 2024, local 10 news sunday @ 6am : mar 17, 2024.

Formentera superyacht bursts into flames as passengers escape for their lives

Twelve passengers and five crew scrambled to abandon ship as they raced against the flames engulfing the 88ft Italian-designed megayacht that was anchored off Es Cavall d'en Borras beach off Formentera

yacht on fire today

  • 08:21, 13 Aug 2023
  • Updated 14:30, 13 Aug 2023

This is the dramatic moment a 88-foot luxury yacht goes up in flames off the paradise Mediterranean island of Formentera.

Onlookers gathered nearby in their own boats to watch the blaze take hold as thick black smoke rose high into the sky above the stricken vessel . Five crew and 12 passengers are said to have been on board the yacht but were able to abandon it in time despite the speed with which the fire engulfed the Italian-designed cruiser.

Terrifying video shows the flames roaring through the vessel, which is burnt back to little more than its frame in several places. The fire is thought to have ripped through the vessel in a matter of moments, sending it up in a massive fireball that could be seen from neighbouring Ibiza.

Only one of the crew members, described as a 39-year-old Spaniard who suffered minor burns, needed hospital treatment according to regional emergency response coordinators. The alarm was sounded around 6pm yesterday while the yacht was anchored off Es Cavall d’en Borras beach in the Ses Salines Natural Park.

Spanish coastguards confirmed this afternoon the yacht that went up in flames was called Irmao and it had sunk off a natural landmark called Punta de Sa Pedrera in Formentera. They shared a statement published alongside footage of coastguard vessel Acrux towing the stricken yacht further out to sea before it disappeared under the water.

It read: “Yesterday a fire occurred on board Irmao off of Formentera. Private vessels rescued the 17 people on board. Our centre in the Majorcan capital Palma mobilised Acrux which towed the yacht which was on fire, but it sank.” It was not immediately clear why the blaze had started.

The fine sand beach, one of the best in Formentera off Ibiza where Leonardo DiCaprio has been spotted partying in recent days, is home to famous bar-restaurants El Tiburon and Beso Beach. The yacht has been named locally as Irmao, which is based in Ibiza and marketed online as being available for “out-of-this-world charter vacations." It sleeps 12 in a VIP cabin, one double cabin and four twin cabins and charters for nearly £40,000 a week in high season.

One unconfirmed local report said the vessel belonged to Spanish poker shark Diego Gomez Gonzales, who also goes by "The Lion", according to Olive Press. Gonzales, 34, earned his nickname after attending the 2012 European Poker Tour in Prague dressed in a fully-body lion costume. It's currently unknown if Gonzales was on board at the time or whether it was being rented.

Gonzales was reportedly born in Madrid in 1988 and while growing up he started playing the card game with school pals and members of his family. As he got older he was drawn into the world of online poker before getting a place on the Spanish poker circuit. At the same tournament where he wore the lion suit, he came fifth and scored a whopping £200,000 prize.

The yacht was anchored off one of Formentera's most-stunning beaches. The island itself is one of the Balearics and is situated next to Ibiza. It is host to a number of world-famous bars, including El Tiburon and Beso Beach.

It is home to famous bar-restaurants El Tiburon and Beso Beach.

The nationalities of those on board have not yet been made public. Spanish coastguards responded to the emergency by towing the yacht further out to sea and assisting in putting out the flames. Last summer a £20 million superyacht owned by wealthy Italian businessman Paolo Scudieri went up in flames off the coast of Ibiza.

The 150ft vessel Aria SF caught fire on August 11, just a month after being delivered to its multi-millionaire owner. Spanish coastguards sent two rescue boats to the area as the nine passengers and seven crew on board abandoned ship after a Mayday call following a failed attempt to put out the blaze. There were no reports of any injuries. The black smoke the fire caused could be seen as far away as Majorca.

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Four years after fire engulfed a California dive boat, killing 34, the captain’s trial begins

Image: Jerry Boylan

LOS ANGELES — By the time the scuba dive boat sank off the Southern California coast after catching fire,  34 people had been killed  in the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history.

The Labor Day tragedy in 2019 spurred changes to maritime regulations, congressional reform and civil lawsuits. Four years later, a federal trial for the Conception’s captain, Jerry Boylan, was underway Tuesday with jury selection in federal court in Los Angeles. Boylan watched as the judge questioned potential jurors.

It’s been a long, frustrating wait for the families of the dead.

“The past four years have been like living in a nightmare that you don’t wake up from,” said Kathleen McIlvain, whose 44-year-old son Charles was killed.

fire deadly tour boat

The 75-foot boat was anchored off the Channel Islands, 25 miles south of Santa Barbara, on Sept. 2, 2019, when it caught fire before dawn on the final day of a three-day excursion, sinking less than 100 feet from shore.

The National Transportation Safety Board blamed Boylan for the tragedy, saying his failure to post a roving night watchman allowed the fire to quickly spread undetected, trapping the 33 passengers and one crew member below.

Those on board included a new deckhand who’d landed her dream job and an environmental scientist who did research in Antarctica, along with a globe-trotting couple and a Singaporean data scientist.

Susana Solano Rosas lost her three daughters Angela, Evan and Nicole Quitasol, who were onboard the Conception with their father, Michael Quitasol, and his wife, Fernisa Sison. Solano Rosas waited with other relatives for jurors to be chosen.

“We’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” she said. “We want to start some healing.”

U.S. District Judge George Wu on Oct. 12 granted Boylan’s request to bar most if not all references to “victims” — which the captain’s attorneys say is a prejudicial term that jeopardizes his right to a fair trial. It was the latest setback for the prosecution.

A grand jury in 2020 initially indicted Boylan on 34 counts of a pre-Civil War statute colloquially known as “seaman’s manslaughter” that was designed to hold steamboat captains and crew responsible for maritime disasters. Each count carries up to 10 years in prison in a conviction, for a total of 340 years.

Defense lawyers sought to dismiss those charges, arguing the deaths were the result of a single incident and not separate crimes. Prosecutors got a superseding indictment charging Boylan with only one count.

Then in 2022, Wu ruled the superseding indictment failed to specify that Boylan acted with gross negligence, calling that a required element to prove the crime of seaman’s manslaughter. He dismissed that indictment, forcing prosecutors to go before a grand jury again.

Boylan is now charged with one count of misconduct or neglect of ship officer. The single count means he faces only 10 years behind bars if convicted.

He has pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing. His federal public defenders did not return The Associated Press’ repeated requests for comment, and a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment.

Some of the dead were wearing shoes, prompting investigators to believe they were awake and trying to escape. Both exits from the below-deck bunkroom were blocked by flames.  Coroner’s reports list smoke inhalation as the cause of death.

What exactly started the fire remains unknown. Early official scrutiny appeared to focus on a spot where divers plugged in phones and other electronics. But a  Los Angeles Times story , citing a confidential report by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the blaze began in a plastic trash can on the main deck. An official cause remains undetermined.

Boylan and four crew members sleeping in the upper deck told investigators they tried to save the others but were ultimately forced to jump overboard to survive. Boylan made a mayday call before abandoning ship.

Dozens of family members have since formed “Advocacy34” to push for strengthened boating regulations. While seeking answers, they’ve comforted each other during loved ones’ missed birthdays and mourned each anniversary.

“We have no idea when we’ll get those answers, or if we ever will,” McIlvain said.

The NTSB faulted the Coast Guard for not enforcing that requirement and recommended it develop a program to ensure boats with overnight passengers have a watchman.

Victims’ families have sued the Coast Guard in one of several ongoing civil suits.

At the time of the fire, no owner, operator or charterer had been cited or fined for failure to post a roving patrol since 1991, Coast Guard records showed.

The Coast Guard has since enacted new, congressionally mandated regulations regarding fire detection systems, extinguishers, escape routes and other safety measures.

Three days after the inferno, Truth Aquatics Inc., which belongs to the Conception’s owners, Glen and Dana Fritzler, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles under a pre-Civil War provision of maritime law that allows it to limit its liability to the remains of the boat, which was a total loss. The time-tested legal maneuver has been successfully employed by the owners of the Titanic and other vessels, and requires the Fritzlers show they were not at fault.

The couple’s attorneys did not respond to requests for comment.

In response to the families’ outcry, federal lawmakers last year updated the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851 so owners could be held liable for damages regardless of the boat’s value afterward. The law is not retroactive, however, and will not apply in the Conception fire.

The Associated Press

Firefighters extinguish yacht blaze in Fort Lauderdale

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue crews responded to reports of a boat on fire in the water.

The 88-foot yacht, ironically named Hot Pursuit, was fully engulfed in flames on the water behind 710 Coral Way, near Las Olas Boulevard, Wednesday morning.

Dispatchers received multiple calls reporting the blaze that, officials said, ignited due to an electrical problem.

Benjamin Fisher and Vincent Ventura were working on a neighboring boat when they witnessed the fire and immediately grabbed garden hoses in an attempt to put out the flames.

“We saw smoke mostly,” said Ventura. “It looked like it just caught on fire. When we called the fire department, we ran over and by the time we got over there, it grew. We did our best to put it out.”

Fisher said they tried to get the fire out before fire rescue made it to the scene.

“As they came down the street, they saw a large cloud of smoke, and once they made an investigation in the back, they found an approximately 80-foot luxury vessel with fire on the top deck,” said Chief Garret Pingol with FLFR. “[The fire created] heavy smoke and crews put hose lines into action. The crews made quick access to the back before, what we call a deck stretch or a dock stretch, which pulls lines quickly down off of the first arriving fire apparatus and made a quick knockdown from the outside and then boarded the vessel.”

Fire crews extinguished the blaze in less than an hour.

One person was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation, and did not need to be transported to the hospital for further care. That person is now OK.

“Due to the quick action of the crew, they isolated the majority of the fire to the flight deck, the top deck of the vessel, reserving all below deck areas of the vessel,” said Pingol.

Since fire rescue crews managed to maintain the flames to the top of the yacht, it was not a total loss.

Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Watch CBS News

Newburyport truck fire damages several nearby boats

By Riley Rourke

March 16, 2024 / 6:28 PM EDT / CBS Boston

NEWBURYPORT - A pickup truck that caught fire in Newburyport damaged several nearby boats in a yacht yard on Saturday.

Firefighters were called to Windward Yacht Yard around 10:30 a.m. after a generator in the back of a pickup truck caught fire.

newburyport-truck-fire-frame-728.jpg

The owner of the pickup truck was working on his boat transmission when the fire began.

The fire spread to nearby boats and caused significant damage.

Firefighters said that the pickup truck was a total loss but that the fire could have been much worse.

"If it was a windy day, it could've been a lot worse. So we're thankful there was no wind; we had enough manpower. Thankful for the surrounding towns who got here and established a water supply with us, under difficult conditions and a tight space, and lee it t the limited damage it is," Newburyport Fire Chief Stephen Bradbury said.

No injuries were reported.

  • Newburyport News

Riley Rourke is a freelance journalist based in Boston. She graduated cum laude from Emerson College with a degree in Journalism in 2023. She has previously worked for Emerson's student organizations: WEBN, and the Emerson Channel.

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Aid ship offloading cargo into Gaza; Israel to continue negotiating over cease-fire

Israel’s government warned that Hamas “is continuing to hold to unrealistic demands” as it prepared to review the latest cease-fire proposal Friday. A ship carrying 200 tons of food — the first attempt to deliver aid by way of a maritime corridor — began offloading its cargo into Gaza on Friday. The boat left Cyprus earlier this week, dispatched by the U.S. nonprofit World Central Kitchen, founded by celebrity chef José Andrés , and the Spanish search-and-rescue group Open Arms.

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Here's what to know:

Here's what to know, live coverage contributors 18.

Andrew Jeong avatar

3:32 p.m. EDT 3:32 p.m. EDT

3:04 p.m. EDT Bullet Key update 3:04 p.m. EDT

1:50 p.m. EDT 1:50 p.m. EDT

11:34 a.m. EDT 11:34 a.m. EDT

10:12 a.m. EDT Bullet Key update 10:12 a.m. EDT

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8:32 a.m. EDT Bullet Key update 8:32 a.m. EDT

8:15 a.m. EDT 8:15 a.m. EDT

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6:33 a.m. EDT Bullet Key update 6:33 a.m. EDT

1:58 a.m. EDT Bullet Key update 1:58 a.m. EDT

1:56 a.m. EDT Bullet Key update 1:56 a.m. EDT

Israel-Gaza war

Israel-Gaza war: Israel’s government warned that Hamas “is continuing to hold to unrealistic demands” as it prepared to review the latest cease-fire proposal Friday. A ship carrying 200 tons of food — the first attempt to deliver aid by way of a maritime corridor — began offloading its cargo into Gaza. The boat was dispatched by the U.S. nonprofit World Central Kitchen, founded by celebrity chef José Andrés , and the Spanish search-and-rescue group Open Arms.

Middle East conflict: Tensions in the region continue to rise. As Israeli troops aim to take control of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, officials in Cairo warn that the move would undermine the 1979 peace treaty. Meanwhile, there’s a diplomatic scramble to avert full-scale war between Israel and Lebanon .

U.S. involvement: U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria killed dozens of Iranian-linked militants , according to Iraqi officials. The strikes were the first round of retaliatory action by the Biden administration for an attack in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members .

yacht on fire today

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