Tragedy for Antigua community

A fire on October 2 swept has swept through the Antigua Yacht Club Marina & Resort in English Harbour on the southeastern coast of Antigua, destroying the facility along with several neighboring business including Skull Duggery café, Cloggy’s, Dock Master Office, and Dockside Liquor. The damage has left more than 100 people are reportedly unemployed.

The Antigua Yacht Club is described as one of the best-known Yacht Clubs in the Caribbean and hosts some of the most prestigious sailing events in the Caribbean, namely the RORC Caribbean 600, Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, and Antigua Sailing Week.

In 2015, it hosted the Optimist North American Championship for the first time and the club was again invited to host the event in 2016, and in 2019, it hosted the Optimist World Championship.

Commodore of Antigua Yacht Club, Franklyn Braithwaite, confirmed the club buildings were unaffected by the fire, and the schedule for the Caribbean 600 is unaffected by this terrible fire.

In combating the blaze, firefighters were hampered by the strong winds and rains associated with the passage of Topical Storm Philippe. It is believed the fire was started by lightning during the storm.

Shaun Falcone, on behalf of the Falcone Family that owns the facility, provides this statement:

Antigua Yacht Club Marina is deeply devastated by the fires, particularly affecting the facilities and services within our main complex. Our thoughts are with the affected business owners and their employees during this difficult time.

Despite this unfortunate incident, we want to assure our valued members, patrons, and the sailing community that the main marina facilities, including diesel, water, electricity, and dockage, remain fully operational. We are committed to providing uninterrupted services to our visitors and guests.

A new location for our office has already been set in motion to ensure seamless communication and assistance for all our customers.

We are grateful for the overwhelming support and concern expressed by our community, and we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has reached out to us during this challenging time. Your support is invaluable, and we are determined to make the upcoming season a great one, albeit with some adjustments.

Antigua Yacht Club Marina remains resilient and determined to continue serving the sailing and yachting community with the same dedication and excellence. We look forward to welcoming you back and appreciate your continued trust in us.