$4.7 Million Yacht with 30 Influencers Sinks Near Miami Beach

A 63-foot luxury yacht valued at roughly $4.7 million with a group of social media influencers onboard sank in shallow waters off Miami Beach on Saturday evening.

All 32 people aboard, including crew, were safely rescued from the boat as it went down near the popular Monument Island shortly after 5 p.m., with no injuries reported.

So why did this disaster happen? Well, the group of influencers made a serious mistake, one that many people make without realizing how dangerous it can be.

The Yacht Party and the Disaster

The sleek yacht, a limited-edition Tecnomar Lamborghini 63, had been hosting a private party amid the city’s star-studded Formula One Grand Prix weekend.

Photos on social media earlier in the day showed the vessel’s sundeck crowded with revelers, many of them well-known online influencers in town for the race event.

But roughly 20 minutes after leaving the dock, the celebration took a turn. One passenger said the yacht suddenly began taking on water, forcing everyone to scramble to the top deck.

“Everyone went to the top of the boat, and then we realized half the boat was in the water,” a passenger told CBS News Miami.

Then, as the bow of the $4.7 million yacht rose up, panicked guests dialed 911 for help, unsure what had gone wrong.

A nearby charter captain, Yasmany Linares, was ferrying a birthday group when he spotted the yacht in trouble and raced over. “It was right in front of me. This is what you do,” Linares said of his split-second decision to assist.

He and his crew pulled dozens of passengers onto his own boat as the stricken yacht’s stern slipped lower.

Moments later, U.S. Coast Guard crews from Station Miami Beach arrived alongside marine units from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Florida’s Fish and Wildlife agency.

By the end of the ordeal, the 63-foot Lamborghini yacht was sticking straight up out of the water with its rear half submerged, officials said. All 32 people on board were safely evacuated onto rescue boats, then ferried to the Miami Beach Marina for medical evaluation. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Witnesses described a surreal scene as the party yacht foundered near the crowded bay. “We saw a bunch of police boats, and there was another yacht… completely vertical in the water,” said a person who was boating nearby and watched the rescue.

The influencers on board even appeared startlingly calm, a few were smiling and filming with their phones, and one person could be heard joking “iceberg, iceberg” in a dark Titanic reference.

Investigation and the Probable Mistake

What caused the sudden sinking is currently under investigation, and the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirmed it is leading the probe, since the incident occurred in Biscayne Bay. However, the passengers definitely made a mistake.

Attention has focused on whether the yacht was overloaded far beyond its limits. According to a sales listing, the Lamborghini-designed vessel has a maximum capacity of 12 people, meaning it was carrying nearly three times the recommended number.

Thirty-two people on board likely contributed to instability, but there are also suspicions of a possible mechanical issue or hull problem that caused the leak, which was then worsened by the weight of the passengers.

By Sunday, salvage crews had managed to refloat the yacht and tow it away from the channel, eliminating any hazard to other boaters. Officials have not yet identified the yacht’s owner. The boat, one of only 11 ever made in a collaboration between Italian yacht maker Tecnomar and automaker Lamborghini, had reportedly been up for sale for about $4.7 million at the time of the accident.

Any findings from the investigation, such as potential safety violations or equipment failure, will determine if the owner or operators face citations.