Home / Disasters and Accidents / Luxury Yacht Partially Sinks After Undetected Flooding
Luxury Yacht Partially Sinks After Undetected Flooding
3 Aug
Summary
- Yacht partially sank off Maryland coast in July 2024
- Undetected flooding through open watertight door caused vessel to tip over
- Estimated $8 million in damage to the 103-foot yacht
On July 27, 2024, a 103-foot luxury yacht named LoveBug partially sank in 12 feet of water off the coast of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The yacht was traveling south from Annapolis via the West River to the Chesapeake Bay when it began to tip over around 12:35 p.m.
According to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board, the partial sinking was caused by undetected flooding through an open watertight door, which resulted in the vessel losing stability and tipping onto its starboard side. Four crewmembers and one owner on board abandoned the yacht, and were rescued by a nearby vessel. One person sustained a minor injury.
After partially sinking, the LoveBug remained in the West River for about a month before it was raised and towed to New Jersey in late August 2024. The transportation board estimated that the damage sustained to the vessel would cost its owner, Bees Honey LLC, a limited-liability company based in the Marshall Islands, around $8 million to repair.
Built in 2010 in Italy, the LoveBug was used for private chartering, with weekly rates ranging between $110,000 and $125,000. It could accommodate 11 people in five cabins, as well as a crew of seven.
