Infra-red video from a US Coastguard helicoper shows 13 people being rescued from a 120ft sinking superyacht
It was very much a case of unlucky 13s earlier this week when 13 people had to be rescued from a sinking superyacht that was 13 miles offshore.
The crew of MY Serena III made a distress call to the local coastguard when the vessel began taking on water off the coast of Fort Lauderdale on Monday night (January 23).
As the infra-red video footage above shows, the emergency services were able to rescue all 13 people at around 2300 before the 120ft superyacht slipped below the waves roughly 25 minutes later.
Officials suspect the vessel grounded as it left Port Everglades, but whatever the cause the damage must have been significant as the superyacht had eight bilge pumps on board which could not keep it afloat.
Launched in 2012, MY Serena III is owned by Brazilian businessman Richard Paul Matheson, who was planning on taking a month-long holiday to the Bahamas with his family.
First officer Perry Thomas told CBS: “We were going to the Bahamas to enjoy ourselves. It’s a pity because I was looking forward to doing this one.”