The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating what caused a fire that sank a yacht in the Hudson River on August 20.
The 48-foot vessel caught fire in the waters between West New York and 72nd Street in Manhattan. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) said marine and land units responded to the river at about 3:30 p.m.
However, before firefighters even arrived officials said that a good Samaritan on a nearby boat had rescued the seven occupants of the yacht.
The passengers were later put on an NYPD boat and brought to Chelsea Piers. No injuries were reported.
A number of fire departments responded to the blaze, including the FDNY, Hoboken Fire Department, and North Hudson Regional Fire Department, as well as the NYPD, and the Coast Guard Station New York.
Since the fire, the boat has sunk, but the Coast Guard is keeping track of its location. The yacht drifted to the area of 116th Street, and the location of the vessel is designated with yellow and orange markers so other boats can avoid it.
Officials said the owner and the insurer now need to get a commercial salvage company to remove the sunken vessel. The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation.
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