45 Foot Yacht Sinks in Wiggins Pass Channel

Beachgoers near Bonita Springs, Florida got a little more than they bargained for recently when they witnessed the unexpected sinking of a 45 foot yacht just a few hundred feet offshore. The vessel’s captain was rescued from the stricken craft safely as the boat took on water, eventually coming to rest atop the sandbar in surprisingly shallow water. One of the witnesses said there was a “loud boom” and some smoke that came from the yacht just before it began to sink.

As of this newscast, the incident was still under investigation and no cause had been determined, though the towing company tasked with moving the yacht said it did appear the boat struck the sandbar where it came to rest. Another of the beach visitors estimated the boat to be worth a million dollars or more, based on its size. We certainly won’t dispute that guess, as the yacht looks like a high end craft. Things undoubtedly could have been far worse for the yacht’s owner, as having your boat sink in just a few feet of water seems like a great outcome compared to having it lost in several hundred feet. Hopefully the towing company will be able to get the water pumped out of the yacht and tow it somewhere to be repaired.

If not, Wiggins Pass will have a beautiful new reef for the marine wildlife, and one yacht owner will have to only go as far as the beach to visit his vessel. Unfortunately it will still be jammed into the sandbar just offshore, but at least he can keep an eye on it while relaxing in the sun. We are curious to find out what actually happened with this situation; did the boom cause the boat to become disabled and strike the sandbar, or did striking the sandbar cause the boom and subsequent sinking?