A luxury yacht sank off the coast of Los Angeles after taking on water when a large haul of fireworks erupted from the deck.
The luxury yacht laden with nearly 1,000 rounds of ammunition and fireworks caught fire shortly before capsizing in Marina del Rey harbor on Wednesday evening. There were two individuals aboard the 100-foot vessel when the blaze erupted, but fortunately, both managed to escape unharmed.
BOAT FIRE | FS110 | 221 Basin A #MarinadelRey l At approx. 8:33 PM #LACoFD units responded to a report of boat fire. The yacht is approximately 100 feet long. 2 passengers exited the boat without injuries. Crews are still working to extinguish the fire. pic.twitter.com/rcFswckMBM
— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) September 19, 2024
On Thursday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard resumed its environmental cleanup efforts as the yacht leaned on its side. They also conducted air quality tests and addressed water contamination caused by fuel spillage.
On Wednesday at approximately 8:30 p.m., firefighters swiftly responded to the docks at Basin A, where the boat “The Admiral” was engulfed in flames, as reported by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Crews attempted to combat the blaze from both land and water, but containment efforts proved challenging.
Footage Captured the Fireworks Exploding Out of the Yacht as it Sinks
Bystander footage captured fireworks erupting from the boat’s deck. It lit up the sky as firefighters battled to control the raging flames.
🔥HAPPENING NOW🔥
— Sivan🕊 (@SivanSpeaks) September 19, 2024
Crazy intense yacht fire in Marina del Rey – explosions of flames and smoke seen all the way from LAX. (Allegedly next to the fuel dock)
Developing – still burning intensely – no info on whether anyone was inside. Praying everyone is safe 🙏@CitizenAppLA pic.twitter.com/Uc7hpa6HS7
Two hours later, the vessel sank swiftly beneath the waterline, and by 11 p.m., it was nearly completely submerged.
Following the sinking, crews initiated a “booming” operation to contain the foam sprayed by firefighters and the fuel that leaked during the incident.
On Thursday morning, a representative from the Coast Guard reported that efforts are focused on containing any hazardous fuel or materials that may have spilled into the water. Additionally, air quality remains a concern due to the boat containing 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel.
“What we do know is that the vessel capacity was 6,000 gallons. We do know that they fueled up with 4,000 gallons of diesel, but we still do not know how much fuel discharged out into the environment and how much remains still in the vessel,” Lt. Cmdr. Omar Borges, of the U.S. Coast Guard told CBS News.
According to the Coast Guard, current air quality readings indicate that there are no flammable fumes present. They claim the air is safe for local residents to breathe.