Yacht Explosion Off New Jersey Leads to 'Mass Casualties Incident'

[nadinbrzezinski]

Last edited Thu Jun 14, 2012, 12:48 PM - Edit history (2)

The Coast Guard is responding to a reported yacht explosion in the Atlantic Ocean about 17.5 miles east of Sandy Hook, N.J., according to ABC News' New York station WABC-TV.

The Coast Guard has declared a mass casualty incident and has requested multiple helicopters to assist with rescue.


At least nine people have been injured with serious burns and 21 people were on board.

The Coast Guard was notified at 4:20 p.m. of an explosion on board the yacht, the Blind Date, according to WABC. The boat was 17 miles offshore.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/yacht-explosion-off-jersey-coast-guard-responding-mass/story?id=16543986#.T9ZlDuJYtQ2

Just the complications on this one are amazing....

Realize these are Government Workers doing their jobs now.

So this was a hoax...still a bunch of government workers...
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Sandy-Hook-Yacht-Accident-Explosion-158484725.html


Or rather it appears to be a hoax. And who'd call this in? If I ad a buck for each bad call over ten years...

[Marrah_G]

1. Oh my- Thank goodness for the CG, they truly are amazing.

[Skittles]

27. they are INDEED

[PCIntern]

2. Well, it gives lie to the concept of "drowning it in the bathtub"...

according to Mr. Norquist, right?

Big ocean out there...maybe he's like to privatize the Coast Guard in order to rescue wealthy seafarers at good prices! Nothing like the "Free Market".

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Actually he'd love to

all sarcasm aside.

[HooptieWagon]

13. It already has been.

Non-emergency situations are now referred to commercial towers... SeaTow is probably the biggest. Most of CGs assets are now directed to drug interdiction. They do still do S&R and emergency response, but they wont respond to a breakdown or grounding.

[jpbollma]

5. We Learned From Wisconsin

We don't need the Coast Guard, that money should be spent on Kolob! ---Robme.

[Blue_Tires]

3. I'm not a boater, but what can make a yacht 'explode' other than a bomb?

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Engine issues, gas concentration... as in gaseous things

a spark in an engine room that has some flammables... off the top off my head.

You are onto something, essentially it becomes a bomb in certain conditions. There will be an investigation, that is like standard.

[Speck Tater]

12. A floating meth lab would be pretty explosive.

Just a wild hypothesis, mind you, and probably not true.

[JHB]

20. We're not necessarily talking about a Hollywood action movie explosion...

...engulfing the whole ship. A leaky propane line for a stove or gasoline for an auxiliary craft (dinghy, jet ski, etc.) could fuel a small explosion that sets fire to the rest of the vessel. Add in twenty-odd people, most of whom don't know how to fight it, and it could get very bad quickly.

But we'll know more as the details come in. Much too early to speculate.

[HooptieWagon]

26. Yes, exactly.

Whats strange is that flammables are carried in isolated ventilated compartments. Its law and insurance requirement. And a yacht that size would surely have an extensive fire suppression system.

[JHB]

31. As I said, we'll know more as details emerge, but...

...never discount the difference between "should" and "does, in good repair, and not thwarted somewhere along the line by the foolish, ignorant, or stupid".

[HooptieWagon]

41. Well, apparently it was a hoax.

However, the boat in question is almost new... I cant imagine any maintanence issues. I personally know the builder, he builds to the highest standards... there definitely werent any corners cut. If this did happen, and not a hoax, it would be a really freak occurance... or some kind of ridiculous negligence on the part of the crew.

[lumberjack_jeff]

43. Propane is heavier than air. A boat is an excellent reservoir for propane vapor.

Full of sparky things.

[HooptieWagon]

49. Propane or any other flammables (including gasoline tanks)

Are required to be in a ventilated compartment such that fumes and vapors go overboard, not into the bilge. Also, yachts that size typically have 110V generators and inverters, the stoves and ovens are electric. Smaller boats usually have gas stoves, the smallest boats are usually non-pressurized alcohol.

[lumberjack_jeff]

42. Gasoline or propane vapor. n/t

[notadmblnd]

7. It was for sale and the owners were only asking 31 million for it

Well- I'm sure they had insurance.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Ah... the plot ahem... thickens

to me the side of the story is all them shifty, wealthy guv',ent workers coming to help.

Oh yes,

[elehhhhna]

15. insurance fraud? doubtful, with 21 people aboard.

[notadmblnd]

17. I did not suggest that

A crew of 10 and 10 guests. The boat charted for 185-235k a week.

[HooptieWagon]

18. Yes, an intentional sinking would probably have fewer people aboard.

And be farther offshore in deeper water. Wouldnt want the insurance company to raise the yacht and discover evidence.

[Blue_Tires]

22. Reminds me of one of the most god-awful fucking evil cases of disaster capitalism I ever read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucona

Lucona was an old ship sunk in the Indian Ocean in 1977 by a bomb planted by Austrian businessman Udo Proksch, as part of an insurance fraud. Proksch, the owner of the cargo, also then owner of famous Viennese confectioners Demel, claimed US$20 million from his insurance company, saying that the cargo was expensive uranium mining equipment. He was subsequently convicted in 1991 of the murder of six crew (of the crew of 12) who were killed by the explosion, and died in prison.

The Lucona was located by American shipwreck hunter David Mearns in 1990; his first very deep water wreck, at 4,200 metres. He found that the ship had been sunk by a time bomb. While fraud had been suspected, investigations were obstructed by powerful Austrian politicians who were friends of Proksch. Eventually several ex-ministers were convicted over their involvement. The ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs was sentenced for forging documents authenticating the cargo. Two other ministers were dismissed for obstructing the investigations. The Minister of Defense, shareholder in the Proksch firm, had given permission to deliver explosives to sabotage the ship and committed suicide when that became known.

Proksch fled to the Philippines in 1988 after Hans Pretterebner published a book about the scandal, and stayed with dictator Ferdinand Marcos, a personal friend. Returning to Vienna in 1989 incognito, he was recognized and arrested. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison on March 11, 1991, and a year later the sentence was increased to life in prison. He died on June 27, 2001 during heart surgery.

===========
===========

Not saying that's what happened, it just reminded me of that case...

[HooptieWagon]

25. Wow! Id never heard of that story.

Usually the insurance jobs occur with older boats (yachts, ships) whose value has depreciated to a point far less than is owed or is insured for. Owner usually in financial dificulty. I know of several insurance jobs (pleasure boats) that have occurred around Tampa Bay area over the past 20 years or so, but proof is difficult to come by.

[Blue_Tires]

44. it actually gets much worse

that wiki is surprisingly light on details...if you search around, you'll find some excellent sources in english that really tell the whole story...or if you understand german there is much more available...

[belcffub]

34. not to long ago and the CG would take care of that for the owners...

you'd be surprised how many ships burned and a small envelop was handed to the ships captain... the CG run a much tighter ship now though...

[AngryAmish]

63. I knew a guy who sank his boat for the insurance money

They floated the boat and noticed that the bilge pump line (I'm not a boat guy but the hose that goes from the bilge pump to outside) had a hole in it the exact dimension of the screwdriver found next to it. And they had the guy on his boat a few hours before it sank.

Lucky he didn't go to jail.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

65. I remember when they drained one of those lakes out south....

... by Lemont in the forest preserves. They found a bunch of "stolen" cars with keys in the ignition. Lots of 'spalinin to do.

Western Springs to answer your other question.

[HooptieWagon]

9. A yacht big enough to carry 21 people...

probably has diesel engines. Diesel fuel doesnt explode. Either it was cooking gas, or a small amount of gasoline for the dinghy's outboard. Fire aboard a boat is a very dangerous situation.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. That is what it sounds like

[Sgent]

28. I don't know the yacht in question

but have been on many 60-65+ foot boats that can easily carry 20-30+ people which are gas powered. Stupid IMHO, but they are definitely out there.

[Sgent]

29. Nevermind

The yacht is diesel.

[HooptieWagon]

32. Yes, twin Cats.

Its been decades since gasoline inboards have been installed. Insurance costs too much, fuel consumption is too high, and resale value is horrible.

[bongbong]

46. No...

Hate to be pedantic, and I'm a sailor not a stinkboater, but a lot of large houseboats have gas engines. Here's one:

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/boatMergedDetails.jsp?boat_id=2427255&ybw=&units=Feet&currency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=78734&url=

[HooptieWagon]

51. That sounds like it has Mercruiser outdrives.

I could be wrong... I dont pay attention to houseboats... theyre typically lake and river craft. But the engines listed were 5.7 Merc... that sounds like the 350 Chevy Mercruiser uses with their outdrives. None of the photos were of the stern.

[monmouth]

10. Tony Soprano used to entertain in a similar fashion..LOL....n/t

[greytdemocrat]

23. I was thinking the same.

That's a terrible accident though.

[slackmaster]

14. Isolated incident

Not terrorism.

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. and you got that from a post from ABC NOOZ?

Ok... I mean it is not like we cannot have explosions, aka energetic events, that do not involve Al Qaida anymore....

Oh yeah the mandatory

[TBF]

16. But that's socialism!!!!

Those coast guard workers are going to want to have a salary, and benefits, maybe even a union - we can't have this! )!&!*#W*U$#)*@U)$&U@)(#*

[HooptieWagon]

19. CG is part of armed forces.

They have salary and benefits equal to corresponding rank in other branches. And no union.

[TBF]

21. I know what the CG is.

Funny how there is always $$$ available for the military/Pentagon and no one questions that now do they?

[HooptieWagon]

24. Launched in 2009. And at 161 feet long,

its definately in the "Megayacht" category. Built by Trinity Yachts in Mississippi.

[bongbong]

47. 161 feet

Nowadays 161 feet is just barely "megayacht". There are so many 200, 300, and even 400 foot yachts now that a 161 footer is kinda pedestrian.

Those "job creators" are creating LOTSA jobs - for shipbuilders - and almost exclusively overseas. The FREE MARKET works!!!

[HooptieWagon]

53. Youre telling me.

Back in the 60s, a 70 foot yacht (either power or sail) was freakin' huge! Now that doesnt even get you honorable mention.

Yes, a lot are built overseas... but theres still several builders in the US. And theres employment for the crews, service and repair centers, food suppliers, etc. Lots of related business. Pay typically aint all that great though, and WAY too many of the owners are reall assholes.

[Sgent]

30. Yacht Detials

More information can be found at http://www.charterworld.com/index.html?sub=yacht-charter&charter=myblind-date-2023

[pintobean]

33. "but officials are considering the possibility that the call was a hoax"

[Skittles]

35. yes

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/11/12170806-was-call-of-distress-about-yacht-explosion-a-hoax?lite

[zappaman]

39. Oh well.

Some people believe anything I guess.
Journalism ain't easy, folks.

[SidDithers]

48. The memorial service, however, will go on as planned...nt

Sid

[pintobean]

50. Details available on Facebook.

[Blue_Tires]

60. Well, when the USCG gets a SOS call, they must mobilize S+R and investigate...

And any half-decent paper has at least one person monitoring police/emergency radio frequencies...

I still wonder what, if anything, was going on elsewhere while the CG was out searching 17 miles from shore...

[pinboy3niner]

66. That's a really, really cheap shot

The OP author reported what the MSM was reporting, and what the USCG was acting on.

Moreover, your implication slams Nadin as a bad journalist as if she gullibly bought into a bad rumor, which is certainly not the case here. The U.S. Coast Guard took it even more seriously, as they deployed 7 helicopters and many boats to the area to conduct a search (aided by civilian 'Good Samaritan' boaters).

Your "funny" quip was out of line, and you really owe Nadin an apology.

[sabrina 1]

71. Thank you. Cheap shots only discredit the one who takes them. I think most people here have the

situation pretty well figured out.

[taterguy]

36. Oh crap. The sharks now have frikkin' laser beams

What else could explain this?

[rucky]

37. Where was Gob Bluth at the time of the incident?

[opiate69]

54. + a brazillion!

[Dorian Gray]

38. This happened

near where I'm from, and the local news is all saying that it's a probably hoax. Sad that someone would think this is funny and waste the CG's time and resources.

[HooptieWagon]

40. Yes, sometimes people make fake distress calls.

They usually have the book thrown at them if caught, and are billed for the S&R costs (which are high).

[Blue_Tires]

45. a hoax??

FFS what kind of degenerate gets his sick jollies doing something like this??

Unless of course it was some kind of diversion for the crime of the century or something...

[HooptieWagon]

52. It happens here in Florida on occasion.

I guess same sick fucks that call in bomb scares and fake fire alarms.

[Dorian Gray]

68. A total idiot

wasting time and efforts. People could have gotten hurt searching, too.

[joshcryer]

55. Rich people have no concern for the public sector or public services.

To them it's all a big game.

[HooptieWagon]

59. How do you know the hoax caller was rich?

It doesnt appear the yacht was ever even there. IMO, theres a good likelyhood the caller was a teen or young man, probably ashore. Probably not rich, either.

[Dorian Gray]

67. I don't know if it's rich people

who called in a fake distress signal. That sounds more like the actions of an asshole, no matter what financial bracket he or she falls in.

[joshcryer]

70. Yeah, thanks, I misread the story.

I thought, stupidly, that it was coming from a yacht and they had that information. The ocean is so big I don't think they can verify something like that (with like a signal alarm locater thing).

[HooptieWagon]

72. If there were two CG stations that recieved the mayday call

Then the location of the source can be determined by radio direction finders. Accuracy isnt good though, probably only within a quarter mile
In this case, it appears only one station received the call, it was reported that the call came from somewhere on a line crossing northern NJ to eastern NYC. That indicates they were using a RDF, but only having one results in a single line, not a fix.

[Dorian Gray]

73. Easy to do

especially in stories about yachts and yachting! LOL.

[nadinbrzezinski]

57. Well if this is a hoax, they should be charged

for all costs

[Dorian Gray]

69. I hope they figured out who did this.

It's really disturbing that someone would fake a distress call.

[TheMightyFavog]

58. Look, come on I know the Devils lost that game in a completely full bonehead way...

But that's no reason to blow up your Yacht...

[Blue_Tires]

61. It was Bettman's yacht so we all get to celebrate...

[HappyMe]

62. It was a hoax.

[hardtravelin]

64. Yup, Hoax

No one's doing anything except wasting money and diverting assets that could cost someone else their life.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Sandy-Hook-Yacht-Accident-Explosion-158484725.html