More Questions Than Answers In Branford Yacht Fire Investigation

BRANFORD, CT — After a deeper dive into the fire aboard a 70-foot yacht Thursday off the Branford coast that led to its sinking, Patch has learned that it's not yet clear who was driving the boat, and that has led to a who's-in-charge-of-the-investigation conundrum, an official said.

And, as Patch continues to try identify the ship's owner, a U.S. Coast Guard official did provide the original name of the yacht, and what it was changed to, but has as yet not provided the boat's registration or other identifying information. A search for the craft without that information provides dozens if not hundreds of boats similarly named in the USCG database.

Here's what we know, and what we don't know

On a picture-perfect blue sky summer day, the fire aboard the yacht in the Long Island Sound not far from Branford's shores was fought by local firefighters aboard fire boats. Marine fire department units from the Branford Fire Department, later with mutual aid from the Guilford Fire Department, worked for hours to extinguish the fire that led the eight people on board to abandon ship — all were rescued by nearby civilian boats and were brought to the Branford Yacht Club by the Coast Guard.

Just a few hours after the flames and smoke were first spotted, the ship went down, though not fully; its hull remains visible at low tide, peeking out of the water like a giant fin.

Two days after, on Saturday morning, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Emergency Response Unit as well as its police force known as EnCon were at the site with their response boat, DEEP spokesperson Will Healey told Patch. The agency helped ACV Enviro, an environmental services provider out of Bridgeport, with “placement of a containment boom around the sunken vessel.”

Healey said the DEEP emergency response team encountered “a significant sheen present in the waters surrounding the vessel and fuel bubbling up in the containment area.”

He said a “strong smell of diesel fuel was noted approximately 1/8 mile from the boat.” And he said that the DEEP Emergency Response Unit staff were back on the site Monday to "check on the boom."

It is a hazard for mariners, officials said.

Raising the wreck

A U.S. Coast Guard “salvage operation,” meaning getting the large craft out from the bottom of the Sound, was supposed to happen this week.

“The boat was expected to be raised this week, though weather conditions may impact those plans,” Healey said. “In the meantime, boaters are urged to avoid the area surrounding the boat.”

U.S. Coast Guard Lt. JG Sarah Dupre told Patch that, yes, there will be a delay.

“We’re in contact with the owner and making sure everything is done in the proper time frame,” she said, adding poor weather conditions as the result of Tropical Storm Fred will “hold up salvage” likely until next week.

So mariners are urged to be aware. According to data provided by the Coast Guard, the location of the large wreck is "approximately" located at 41°-10.262N 072°-48.72W.

Who’s in charge of the investigation?

As Dupre explained last week, the Coast Guard initially was not going to run the probe into what happened aboard the yacht as, she said, the boat was in state waters and not commercial so not in its domain.

But, it turns out that the Coast Guard is still trying to confirm who was piloting the yacht, and that information will decide who's in charge.

Dupre said the vessel, while registered as a private craft, was being used recreationally and she said it needs to be clear who was driving the vessel.

“Was the individual operating the boat hired? Was it a hired captain? Or a friend? Anyone can ask and (the craft owner can allow) them to drive your boat. That’s the portion that is under investigation. Was he for hire? There’s still conversations going on about who takes the lead. We’d handle commercial, so if the captain was for hire, we’d do (the investigation.) But nothing is clear at the moment still.”

She said that’s the issue for both DEEP and the Coast Guard on who is in charge of the investigation.

When asked by Patch why it’s not clear who was piloting the yacht and if the owner is providing that information, Dupre said that, "the owner has been cooperative, but it’s just we have to make sure the information is accurate.”

Dupre said the Coast Guard’s “first priority” is to salvage the boat as soon as possible “for the environment” and so that mariners in the area are safe and don’t strike the partially submerged 70-foot yacht.

Who owns the yacht?

Several have provided information as to who owns the yacht, none of which Patch can confirm.

Attempts to reach Branford's harbormaster via email and phone to determine if the craft is a local boat, if it set out from Branford or any other relevant information, have been unsuccessful.

The yacht’s original name, which appears on its official documentation, is “Marengo,” but the owner changed to “Blue Seas," according to Dupre.

When asked for identifying numbers from the vessel, such as its registration, hull or VIN numbers, Dupre said she'd determine which of those she could provide and get back to Patch.

This post will be updated when she responds.