RedactedNarrative: V01: The vessel was a 70 ft recreational vessel. Vessel was operating in inclimate weather. Vessel started taking on water. Operator stated he dropped the anchor and the vessel sank. Vessel never recovered.
  
  When I spoke with the operator operator, he told me they were traveling from Apollo Beach, Florida to Key West, Florida. He told me that "the seas were rough," and that he was "having trouble maintaining course." He told me he had to keep correcting his heading due to the wind and the current. When making one of the turns he felt it strained the vessel and a few moments later the high water alarms sounded and that the starboard side engine bay was taking on water. He said that the boat started listing to the starboard side. He then said "We dropped the anchor, activated our EPIRB and put on our life vests and got into the water." He told me, once he was in the water, "I looked back towards the boat and saw a large hole that I could see through into the boat." I asked if he thought he hit anything, but he says he did not believe he did. He said USCG arrived approximately 40-45 minutes later. He told me they hailed them by using a handheld spotlight.
  
  USCG told me that they tried to locate the vessel by air, but due to the poor water visibility, they were unable to find the vessel. operator said he had a private company try to locate the vessel, but they could not. I also tried to locate the vessel, but conditions and water visibility made my attempts unsuccessful. 
  He estimated the vessel between $250,000 and $300,000 he also informed me that the vessel is not insured.
  