Mysterious empty yacht washes up on Florida beach

[zabet]

Mysterious empty yacht washes up on Florida beach

CNN) -- The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a possible missing boater after an empty yacht mysteriously washed ashore near Madeira Beach in Florida.

The search was suspended Wednesday night, Coast Guard officials said.

The empty 48-foot boat washed up on the beach about 1 p.m. Wednesday, triggering a police investigation and a Coast Guard rescue mission.

(snip)

Adding to the mystery is the fact that the vessel is registered to the federal government, CNN-affiliate WFTS reported.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/26/florida.ghost.boat/

:wtf:

[hlthe2b]

1. Undercover drug deal gone bad?

[TheDebbieDee]

8. That's the first thing I thought of, too!

[Fumesucker]

14. Just out of curiosity...

What other sort of "drug deal" than "undercover" is there?

:)

[hlthe2b]

19. Most of them, I imagine...

At least in my mind "undercover" implies law enforcement infiltration....

[mike r]

2. Ken Lay's yacht?

[Sweet Charming Dem]

3. WTF?

Registered to the feds?

[guitar man]

4. Somebody pulling a dissappearing act?

:shrug:

[jberryhill]

5. Was it previously seized? /nt

[Scurrilous]

6. Any sign of Billy Zane in the area?

:o

[BeHereNow]

17. rotflmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keyboard spew alert!
BHN:yourock: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[mnhtnbb]

7. Coughed up by the Bermuda Triangle?

[rucky]

9. Maybe the Coast Guard is testing a new drone yacht?

[Faryn Balyncd]

10. It was carrying simpson's supply of titty-milk

[HooptieWagon]

11. The boat is registered to a Mexican - per local news.

I don't know where the "registered to the Federal Govt" bit came from. The boat is a 48' Sea Ray, value new about $1M... it had been sold a couple times in the past few years, maybe current value about $300K? Either it was used for a drug deal and abandoned, or perhaps the operator fell overboard while underway?

[flvegan]

12. This one dumb boat has dominated our "news" here all day.

[Hawkowl]

13. Finder's keepers!

Somebody gets a free yacht!

[xchrom]

15. Somebody forgot to put the anchor down. SURPRISE! Nt

[onethatcares]

16. supposedly, 400 gallons of fuel will get you from Cancun to here

I wish my boat got that kind of milage. Along with making it through storms, seas, and whatever else the Gulf of Mexico can throw at you this time of year.

The coasties didn't release the amount of fuel left in the tanks, only that the motors were still running. To me, motors running while on dry sand = siezed motors, trashed outdrives, but what do I know? I'm just a carpenter.

[taterguy]

18. Looks like a sweet ride

[mike r]

20. Pinellas deputies close case on mystery yacht

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/pinellas-deputies-close-case-on-mystery-yacht/1118448

REDINGTON BEACH — The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has verified with Mexican authorities that the abandoned yacht found Wednesday was the same one reported stolen from a Cancun marina.

The vessel, called Makin Waves, was stolen Aug. 21. It came ashore Wednesday afternoon with its motor running but no passengers. The 48-foot yacht, a Sea Ray Sundancer, sells for about $1 million new.

Detectives searched the boat with drug dogs and found no evidence that the yacht was used for criminal activity, deputies said.

The yacht has been impounded since it was freed late Thursday. The owner, Arturo Millet Reyes, has been in touch with sheriff's deputies via e-mail. Mexican authorities are actively investigating the theft, but Pinellas officials say they have closed their case.