UPDATE, AUGUST 16, 2022: The fire that broke out aboard the yacht Aria SF several days ago has resulted in her sinking. The Spanish Coast Guard initially had planned to tow her to Ibiza, but the fire remained too intense and too difficult to extinguish. While they waited with her off the coast, she sank, in relatively shallow waters. Salvage operations should take place in the coming weeks. An investigation into the cause of the fire continues.
Read on for our original article.
Fire broke out aboard the recently delivered yacht Aria SF today while she was in Spain. All passengers and crew received assistance in evacuating safely, according to Spanish authorities. Those same authorities were still trying to extinguish the flames, however, hours later.
Salvamento Maritimo, the Spanish sea search and rescue agency, indicates it received a distress call from Aria SF around 5 p.m. local time. The superyacht was in the waters off Formentera in the Balearic Islands, at anchor. As the eyewitness video below shows, black smoke was billowing from the main deck. Further eyewitness photos from shore reveal the flames and smoke, too. The agency dispatched two vessels to assist the seven crewmembers and nine guests who were onboard. Local media further state that a vessel from the Guardia Civil, the national police agency, assisted as well.
Initially, according to Salvamento Maritimo, guests were able to board other nearby craft to escape. The crew, meanwhile, remained onboard to continue trying to put out the fire. However, they were unable to do so. The agency therefore used one of its rescue vessels to transport them to shore. No reported injuries occurred.
As of five hours after the distress call went out, Salvamento Maritimo indicates, the flames were nearly out. Once it entirely extinguishes them, it says, another vessel will tow the remaining structure of the yacht Aria SF to Ibiza. Investigators will continue to look into the cause of the fire.
The superyacht launched in April at ISA Yachts. She was part of the ISA Gran Turismo 45 series, a.k.a. the GT 45 series, and was set to debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival. “Gran Turismo” hinted at how the yacht series unites the worlds of sporty looks and luxury, similar to the famous Italian coupe cars from the 1950s with the same name.
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