On October 28, 2016, at 1530 local time, the towing vessel Atlantic Raider was in the Blount Island Channel of the St. Johns River near Jacksonville, Florida, when it suddenly listed to port. Efforts to correct the list were ineffective; the list increased, water began to flood into the engine room, and the crew chose to intentionally ground the vessel. All three crewmembers disembarked safely. An oil sheen could be seen extending from the vessel. Damage was estimated between $800,000 and $1,200,000.
The probable cause of the flooding of the Atlantic Raider was a stern hull fracture that allowed ingress of water into the rudder compartment and caused the vessel to sink by the port quarter. Contributing to the accident was flooding through an open door to the engine room.
