Three passengers and their two dogs jump overboard from a 70-foot yacht in New Hampshire as it is engulfed in huge flames and sinks
- The passengers, Arthur Watson, 67, and Diane Watson, 57, both from New Canaan, Connecticut, and Jarrod Tubbs, 33, from Jupiter, Fla., jumped overboard
- They were taken to Portsmouth Hospital, treated and discharged
- The Elusive was on the Piscataqua River bound for a marina in New Castle around 4 p.m. Saturday when a passenger noticed black smoke below decks
- Despite efforts to rescue the yacht, she drifted into Maine waters and eventually sank about two hours after the first distress call, authorities said
Three people and two dogs jumped from a 72-foot yacht to save their lives after the ship burst into flames in New Hampshire.
The passengers, identified as Arthur Watson, 67, and Diane Watson, 57, both of New Canaan, Connecticut, and Jarrod Tubbs, 33, of Jupiter, Fla., jumped overboard and were rescued by boats.
They were taken to Portsmouth Hospital, treated and discharged.
The ship, the Elusive, was on the Piscataqua River bound for a marina in New Castle around 4 p.m. Saturday when a passenger noticed black smoke below decks, the New Hampshire Department of Safety said in a statement.
Despite efforts to rescue the yacht, she drifted into Maine waters and eventually sank about two hours after the first distress call, authorities said.
The Coast Guard and New Hampshire State Police Navy Patrol released photos of the flames and thick black smoke pouring from the ship.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
This image provided by the New Hampshire State Police shows a yacht on fire on the Piscataqua River in New Castle, NH on Saturday June 18, 2022. (New Hampshire State Police via AP)
Diane Watson, 57, (left) of New Canaan, Connecticut, and Jarrod Tubbs, 33, (right (of Jupiter, Fla.) jumped overboard and were rescued by boats.
Commander Arthur Watson and two family dogs also jumped overboard and were rescued by boats in the area
Reports of a boat on fire on the Piscataqua River near Little Harbor in Newcastle were made just after 4 p.m. Saturday, according to the New Hampshire Police.
Within minutes, the ship filled with smoke and the three passengers jumped out of the boat. They were rescued by nearby boats and taken ashore.
Attempts by the Coast Guard, Portsmouth Fire Brigade, Kittery Harbor Master, Newington Fire Brigade and other authorities to rescue the boat were unsuccessful.
According to the ship’s website, it typically departs from the Camden, Maine sailing port each summer and cruises the Maine coast, the East Coast, and beyond.
A picture taken from away from the fire shows the smoke created after the ship was engulfed in flames
This image provided by the New Hampshire State Police shows a yacht on fire on the Piscataqua River in New Castle, NH on Saturday June 18, 2022. (New Hampshire State Police via AP)
According to the ship’s website, Diane Watson looked after the crew’s board and lodging while Arthur Watson commanded the ship.
The Elusive was last rebuilt in 2013, and pictures of her now-burnt interior showed lavish spaces and decks and luxurious designs.
According to Too Elusive’s website, Diane Watson joined the team in 2007 as an active leader.
She provided board and lodging for the crew while Arthur Watson commanded the ship.
Watson is a member of the Cruising Club of America and has circumnavigated the world twice.