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Over the weekend, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued seven people from a 143-foot Benetti yacht about 25 miles off the northwest coast of Washington.<\/p>\n
The crew of the yacht Domani <\/em>made a distress call at 0600 on Saturday. They reported that the vessel was taking on water because the transom door leading to her "beach club" compartment could not be closed.<\/p>\n In the meantime, the yacht crew also spotted smoke and activated the engine room's fire suppression system, resulting in a blackout and loss of propulsion. They used the yacht's emergency batteries to maintain communications with the Coast Guard.<\/p>\n Sector Columbia River dispatched a Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria, as well as motor lifeboat crews from the stations at Grays Harbor and Quillayute River.<\/p>\n The helicopter crew was the first to arrive, and the conditions on scene were serious: the yacht was rolling heavily in the Pacific Coast swell, and water was washing over its transom hatch and into the open compartment. At least a foot of water was sloshing across the full breadth of the hold as the vessel rolled. <\/p>\n #UPDATE<\/a> Video taken by #USCG<\/a> rescue crew member.@fox12oregon<\/a> @KIRO7Seattle<\/a> @komonews<\/a> @KATUNews<\/a> @KING5Seattle<\/a> @KGWNews<\/a> @fox13seattle<\/a> @KOINNews<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/bOAqYOIKAo<\/a><\/p>\n\n