High Wind — Coastal Dade, Florida

2000-12-23 · Coastal Dade, Florida

Wider weather episode

A 163-foot Haitian freighter, Anita, with a crew of 10 aboard, apparently suddenly sank in the Gulf Stream about 45 miles southeast of Miami while enroute from the Miami River to Haiti. No radio distress signal was received and no survivors were found. The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted to the incident by the signal from the ship's EPIRB and while on scene observed several empty life rafts. Over the next 24 to 48 hours flotsam, mostly in the form of large barrels of household goods, washed ashore from northern Broward to Palm Beach County. A stalled front across the Straits of Florida combined with high pressure centered over West Virginia caused winds of 25 knots with gusts to 33 knots along the freighters route. The Coast Guard on scene estimated sea heights in the Gulf Stream of 12 to 16 feet.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5166859. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.