Salvage crews successfully re-floated a sunken 64-foot luxury yacht that caught fire off the coast of Sanibel Island last week.
Our news partners at WINK News reported that owner Carl Natale was anxious to learn what started the fire that claimed the yacht he and his wife loved. Natale is an expert on fires, according to his online resume.
The FWC and Natale’s insurance company are investigating the cause of the fire. To complete the investigation, the wreck had to be salvaged. It took crews aboard a barge with a large crane several hours to secure the yacht and gently lift it off the Gulf of Mexico floor, about 24 feet below the water’s surface.
Once on the surface, the degree of damage was evident. The fire appeared to gut the yacht, with the most severe damage near the rear of the boat.