A powerboat being towed down island Monday night ran into trouble and sank in the WAPA channel of Charlotte Amalie Harbor, according to Lt. Cmdr. Bryson Spangler of the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment on St. Thomas.

No one was injured in the incident, said Spangler. He did not have specific information about the incident, but was able to give the Source a general description of events when contacted by phone.

According to Spangler, the motor yacht – ironically named It Wasn’t Me – was towing a 35-foot powerboat down island. He did not have the names of the owners, nor did he know either their starting point or destination.

What he did know is that, as it was on its way, the yacht developed fuel problems and decided to stop in Charlotte Amalie to have the fuel lines and filters looked at. As they entered the channel Monday night, the owners of the yacht shortened the towline. It was then that they discovered the boat was taking on water.

Because the boat went down in the navigable channel, the Coast Guard became involved, Spangler said.

A witness watching from Water Island on Tuesday morning told the Source a dinghy approached the sunken vessel about 6:30 a.m. and tied a line to it. Shortly after, It Wasn’t Me returned and the Coast Guard arrived in one of its 29-foot response boats.

Spangler said the Coast Guard’s pollution response team found no sign that fuel was being leaked into the harbor. He described the arrival of the dinghy as "a good Samaritan" who was helping out.

The sunken powerboat was refloated and towed into Druif Bay off Honeymoon Beach.

The Coast Guardsman said there was no indication of what might have caused the boat to sink.