According to the VirginIslands Daily News, the 112-foot M/Y Mambostruck Packet Rock off St. Thomas on Wednesday, July 22.
The yacht was prevented from sinking thanks to Sea Tow, whotowed the $5 million vessel to Subbase Drydock in Crown Bay, St. Thomas, afterreceiving a call around 2:10 p.m. about the incident.
Capt. Alan Wentworth of Sea Tow told Dockwalk that the propeller, rudder and stretch went up through thebottom of the yacht. “The rudder was sticking out through the stern and thepropeller ripped a big gash in the bottom,” he said.
Wentworth’s team put three pumps in the yacht, and he sent adiver underneath to patch the hole, which he said was able to considerably slowdown the inflow of water.
“The batteries went under, a lot of electrical went under,it lost steering, the bow thruster went down…but we were able to keep the water outof the engine room,” says Wentworth.
Crews continued to pump water out Wednesday night at CrownBay, where the yacht currently remains.
“I think we did a pretty good job with two sea boats and adiver,” Wentworth says. “Everyone did an outstanding job, we had skilled crewand skilled marine laborers. Even the crew on the yacht were outstanding andreally helpful.”
But this wasn’t the only boat mishap in the area that day. AnotherSea Tow crew was dispatched to a 50-foot sailboat that hit a rock in CaneelBay, but that no further details about the incident were available.
For images, visit http://www.oceanofnews.com/5m-112-yacht-nearly-sinks-hitting-rock-off-st-thomas/
Photo courtesy of Sea Tow Virgin Islands