A large yacht sank in a Florida Keys canal on Wednesday, releasing what could be more than a thousand gallons of diesel fuel into the water.
The 55-foot Viking convertible fishing yacht began listing in Key Largo on Tuesday while it was undergoing a service overhaul. At the time, the engine block was sitting on the back deck, and the vessel started tipping onto its port, or left, side, said Johnny Guzman, a captain with TowBoat US, the salvage company assigned to remove the yacht.
By Wednesday afternoon, crews from the Key Largo Harbor Marina, where the yacht was docked, placed yellow booms around the sinking boat to contain the spreading diesel. A rainbow sheen of fuel coated the water, and the strong smell of diesel fumes filled the air as Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers responded to the emergency. The canal, located off Caribbean Drive, stretches six blocks before flowing into the Atlantic Ocean.
Authorities have not confirmed the yacht’s owner. Guzman said the vessel is not insured, so the owner will be responsible for paying the salvage and fuel cleanup costs. He added that he knew the yacht lacked insurance because he had been bidding on the cleanup job.
The yacht was fully fueled when it sank and carries 1,500 gallons of diesel. “It’s going to let go every single bit of it, and it’s going to keep leaking,” Guzman said.
To raise the vessel, crews will need to use airbags, divers, and possibly a crane, he said. Guzman, 21, who has worked for TowBoat US for about four months, noted, “This is the biggest job I’ve seen so far.”
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