Although there are reports this is a hoax....here it is anyway.
SANDY HOOK — Coast guard helicopters and rescue boats are on the scene 17.5 miles east of Sandy Hook where the yacht, Blind Date, exploded about 4:20 this afternoon, Petty Officer Erik Swanson of the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Seven of 21 people on board are reported injured, Swanson said. Another report said that nine people are confirmed injured.
He said authorities are not certain of the size of the yacht.
“We’re still waiting for an update to see exactly what happened,” he said. Another boat, a sailing vessel called the Erica is on the scene, he said.
Five helicopters are ferrying the victims from the area of the explosion to a landing zone at North Beach on Sandy Hook, where a "mass ambulance" is staged, or, if needed, the burn unit at St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, Rumson emergency responder, Jennifer Brennan, said. The ambulance can treat up to 20 patients.
The explosion forced the people on the boat to jump ship, Brennan said.
No fatalities have been reported.
“We’re just on the scene assisting the injured,” he said.
This is a breaking story. Check back with app.com for more details as they present themselves. The Asbury Park Press is en route to the scene. Watch for our reports on Facebook and Twitter.
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