I was just about to fall asleep on Saturday night, October 9th, when I heard someone screaming, “Help, help, help” over and over. Eliot and I jumped out of bed and ran to our bedroom window which looks over the Miami Beach Marina. We couldn’t believe our eyes. 

An 80-foot Hatteras (a yacht called Mimi) was out-of-control, going back-and-forth, like a bumper car, banging into six other docked boats. We later found out, the guy yelling for help, was in his cabin in one of the boats being attacked. We called the police. So did many other condo dwellers who heard the same cries for help. 

The Miami Herald had the story the next day. It turns out, that a wannabe pirate, managed to steal the $3.2 million yacht but didn’t know how to drive it. He crashed it so many times it started to sink. The thief jumped into the water and swam away. The Coast Guard is still looking for him. 

Eliot documented the accident, the investigation, the rescue and then the departure. All this took place over a 10-day period.  Click here for the Miami Herald story. Also watch the CBS video coverage above.

Photos by Eliot Hess

Someone tried to steal the Mimi.

After the thief swam away, a helicopter arrived to shed light on the situation.

The police, the coast guard, an ambulance, fire engines, and news crews, surrounded the Mimi for hours.

Many people in our building, and neighboring ones, watched the events unfold all night.

This is what we found the next morning.

The yacht was placed on its side for further investigation.

A few days later, a huge barge showed up to get the yacht ready for transport.

Eliot called the Mimi a black-and-white cookie. The part of the boat that was submerged was filled with sand.

Preparations to remove the vessel took days.

A safety net was used to make sure the Mimi didn’t sink again.

A huge crane started to lift the yacht so it could be placed on the barge.

A smaller barge was brought in to carry the yacht out of the marina.

Mimi started its departure.

As the Mimi was being pulled away, we admitted we were going to miss the action.

We hope the Mimi gets restored.

The Mimi leaves the marina.