$8 Million Yacht Capsizes Off Annapolis

A 122-foot yacht capsized on Saturday in Maryland’s Rhode River, forcing the crew to abandon ship.

At approximately 12:30 p.m. Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard received a distress call from the 2010-built yacht DarlingThe vessel was near the mouth of the Rhode River, a small tidal river about eight nautical miles south of Annapolis. It was listing dangerously to starboard. The Coast Guard and Maryland Natural Resources Police dispatched backup, and the yacht’s crew safely abandoned the vessel with the assistance of a Good Samaritan ship. By late afternoon, the yacht was listing about 70 degrees and appeared to be resting on the bottom on its starboard side.

Trevor Hardman, owner of Tour Boat Annapolis, was one of the first to respond to the victim. He said all the survivors were in good health.

“We heard the captain calling for help as the boat started taking on water,” he told Eye on Annapolis. “We went to the boat and got the captain, the last one on board. He stated that he didn’t run aground, but the boat was taking on water. He went to shallow water before they abandoned ship. We could hear the high water alarms going off as we approached the boat.”

Darling (ex name Anastasia M) is an Italian-built, 122-foot yacht valued at approximately $8 million, according to Boat International. It can accommodate 11 guests and eight crew members and has all the amenities of a luxury charter yacht, including a jet ski garage and zero-speed stabilizers. The vessel was available for charter at a rate of $125,000 per week and was often moored at the Annapolis Yacht Club, according to local media.