Sunken yacht in Charleston Harbor will stay underwater

A yacht sank on March 18 after hitting a jetty in Charleston Harbor. The U.S. Coast Guard reported that the 58-foot vessel is not salvageable and will stay submerged. On March 19, Coast Guard personnel inspected the sunken yacht. They found it in poor condition outside the channel. The team removed one gallon of gasoline and a generator from the yacht to prevent environmental harm. To mark its location, a black fender was placed in the water. A safety alert was issued to inform other boats of potential debris in the area. Charleston Waterkeeper Andrew Wunderley warned that the yacht's electronics could affect water quality as long as it remains under water. The yacht had three people on board, a family that included a 9-year-old girl. They safely transferred to a dinghy and were rescued by a nearby vessel. Although the yacht collided with the North Jetty, the family was unharmed. Collisions with jetties are not common but can happen, especially at night when visibility is low. Wunderley mentioned that modern navigation tools help boaters avoid such hazards.