• French yacht sinks off the coast of Greek islands, all aboard survive

    Hellenic Air Force / EPA

    An aerial view taken from a Greek military Super Puma all-weather helicopter shows a 60-meter-long yacht running adrift after taking in water in the sea area between the islands of Skyros and Psarra, central Aegean Sea, Greece on Feb. 17. All passengers and crew, eight French nationals, were airlifted from the distressed yacht and are all safe.

    Hellenic Air Force / EPA

    A handout picture provided by the Hellenic Air Force taken from a military Super Puma all-weather helicopter shows a 60-meter long yacht running adrift after taking on water between the islands of Skyros and Psarra, central Aegean Sea, Greece on Feb. 17. All the passengers and crew, eight French nationals, were airlifted from the distressed yacht and are all safe.

    By Natalia Jimenez, NBC News

    A luxury yacht cruising the Aegean sea sank off the coast of Greece. According to Turkey's Daily News, the yacht "suffered mechanical failure in gale-force winds," and began to take in water. The eight French passengers and crew aboard were rescued after the captain sent out a distress signal.

    The scene is reminiscent of the luxury cruise Costa Concordia, which hit a reef off the coast of Italy's Giglio island on Jan. 13 when the captain brought the ship too close to shore. It killed 17 people, and 16 people remain missing and are presumed dead.

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    Even sailing in Greek waters requires a bail-out.

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  • Daniel Forster / Rolex via AFP - Getty Images

    Australian super-maxi Investec Loyal, center, skippered by Anthony Bell, being escorted by a flotilla of boats to the finish line to take provisional line honours in the 67th Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Dec. 28, 2011.

    Winner of Sydney to Hobart yacht race accused of spying

    The Associated Press reports:

    Supermaxi Investec Loyal was the provisional winner in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Wednesday, taking line honors ahead of favorite Wild Oats XI by just three minutes in one of the closest finishes in the history of the prestigious ocean-racing event.

    But the result was immediately placed under protest by the race committee, which alleged Investec Loyal had used a television helicopter pilot to spy on Wild Oats XI. Continue reading.

  • Carlo Borlenghi / Rolex via Reuters

    A rescue craft from the Royal National Lifeboat Institute's Baltimore station carries survivors from George David's U.S.-registered racing yacht Rambler 100 after it capsized during the Rolex Fastnet Race off County Cork, Ireland on Monday, Aug. 15. The yacht's sixteen crew, including David and four others who were swept into the sea, were rescued after the incident on Monday night.

    Ex-CEO among 21 rescued after racing yacht capsized in Ireland

    The AP reports:

    Providence — The former chairman and chief executive officer of United Technologies Corp. was among 21 crew members who were rescued after their U.S.-registered yacht capsized during a race off the coast of Ireland on Monday, racing officials said. George David's 100-foot yacht, the Rambler 100, was leading the fleet in the Rolex Fastnet Race when its keel broke and it overturned in the Celtic Sea off Ireland's southwestern tip, officials said on the race website. Continue reading.

  • Lionel Cironneau / AP

    Classic yachts sails in the bay of Cannes, southeastern France, during the 32nd Royal Regatta of Cannes,Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. The Royal Regatta brings into the bay of Cannes more than 150 yachts among the finest in the world, ranging from 10 to 50 meters.

    Lionel Cironneau / AP

    Classic sailboats

    Beautiful photos from Cannes. The old 12-meter boats are so gorgeous.