18 Months Old Child Injured in River Thames Boat Explosion

Nine people including of which an eighteen month toddler were injured as a classic cabin cruiser exploded near the town of Lechlade, on the edge of Wiltshire, River Thames on mid-day of Saturday 31 May.  The boat exploded first and then went ablaze as Thames Valley and Hampshire and Isle of Wight repsonded with two air ambulances and six road ambulances, with fire engines from Gloucestershire constabulary, Thames Valley police, Wiltshire police and the Ministry of Defence police were also called to the scene, in a huge emergency response.  The eighteen month toddler which was reported to have life changing injuries was flown to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children for urgent medical care.  The other eight persons were taken to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, with two of them still under observation.  The Police also mentioned the heroics of two passers-by from Wales who jumped in the water to save the lives of those who could not swim.  The cause of the explosion is not reported, with the boat reported to be a liveaboard of a family.

The boat in this explosion and fire is a Marine Projects Pilgrim 30 as produced from 1968 to 1970.  The Pilgrim 30 came out as a replacement to the Project 31, and was replaced by the Princess 32, which debuted the famous name of the British boat builder in 1969.

22 Injured as Boat Goes Ablaze Near Long Island Sound, New York

 

22 persons were injured as a ten meter Carver cruiser went ablaze at Long Island Sound, near Hart Island, New York just after 20:00 of Saturday seventh June.  New York Police Department harbour and aviation units responded, as did the Fire Department New York to assist in the rescue of boaters and control the fire. Three people were pulled from the water by the Fire Department crews, and brought to a dock where Emergency Medical Service crews were waiting to begin Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.  The other nineteen boaters swam to nearby Hart Island and were rescued by Fire Department, Police Department, and Coast Guard boats.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the 33 year old skipper of the boat has been charged with Driving While Intoxicated.  The Carver cruiser was ultimately wrecked by the fire fire.

The boat in this fire is a Carver 350 Mariner as produced from 1997 up to 2003.  The 350 Mariner came out as a replacement to the Carver 330 Mariner, with the model evolving into the 36 Mariner and produced for another eight years.

Three Yachts Destroyed by Fire in Sunny Isles, Florida

A fourteen meter flybridge cruiser and two yachts of 21 and 26 meters in size were destroyed by fire at Sunny Isles Beach Marina, Florida, for a blaze which started just after 05:00 morning time of Friday sixth June.  The fire reportedly started on the smaller flybridge cruiser, and then jumped to a seventy foot Azimut, and another yacht of 26 meters in size.  Miami Dade Fire Rescue and US Coast Guard responded to the fire from both land and water, as they also towed one of the yachts away, the first which seems to went ablaze and broke its mooring, this was made in order to reduce damage to nearby boats and property as this boat was drifting ablaze near the marina.  Fast Response Marine Towing and Salvage also helped in the operation, as he towed away and saved an eleven meter Beneteau sport cruiser which was next in the fire line and the wind going right to left in the picture.  No injuries are reported from the fire, with boats and yachts being unattended, as the cause of the blaze is being investigated, with the flybridge cruiser and the two yachts becoming a total wreck.  A couple of jet-skis and a rib also burned in the fire.

The boat which seems to have started this fire is a Sessa F48, this then jumped right to left in the picture above to an Azimut 70, and then to a Falcon 86.  The Fast Response saved sport cruiser which also sustained some light smoke damage is a Beneteau Gran Turismo 40.

Two Boats Wrecked by Fire in Key West Florida

Two boats of thirteen meters in length went ablaze at Stock Island Yacht Club marina, at 6000 Peninsular Ave, Key West, Florida on the late afternoon of Thursday fifth June.  The cause of the fire is not reported with the boat to the left of the screen titled m/y Emily Anne going ablaze first, and then its fire going to the boat on its port side titled m/y Spirit.  Monroe County Sheriff Office and US Coast Guard sector Key West responded to the blaze, as both boats eventually got wrecked.  No one was injured as both boats had no persons onboard as they went ablaze, although the boat to the right of the picture was a liveaboard home of a father and a daughter. 

The boat which started the fire M/y Emily Anne is a 1989 Hatteras 45 Convertible Series II as designed by Jack Hargrave and produced from 1984 to 1992. The other boat which went ablaze is a 1988 Marine Trader Tradewinds 43, a model produced from 1987 to 1991.

The liveaboard aft cabin boat is owned by Trawler Tom - Sea Diesel who back in twelve April of this year did go all out of his way to help a grounded liveaboard boat in KeyWest. A GoFundMe donation has been open for Tom and his daughter to raise money and buy a new liveaboard boat.  Link to to the GoFundMe in the comments section below.

Twelve Persons Saved as Sport Cruiser Goes Ablaze Near Procida

Twelve persons were saved as a twelve meter sport cruiser went ablaze near Marina Grande, to the North of the Phlegraean Island of Procida on the afternoon of Monday second June.  The twelve persons were first assisted by nearby boaters, with the Port Captaincy of Ischia boat CP 807 coordinated by the Maritime Directorate of Naples following.  A Vigili dell Fuoco fire fighting boat also came to extinguish the blaze.  Ultimately the boat was wrecked by the fire, and barely floating.  Following the fire one boater was kept under observation, as the other eleven persons were uninjured and taken on land by the Samaritan boaters which helped out and the CP boat.  The cause of the fire is said but not confirmed to have started from a mechanical failure.

The sport cruiser in this fire is a 2024 build Nerea NY40 as designed by IdeaeItalia and produced from 2022.  Nerea was founded in 2018 by Sicilian from Trapani native Dario Messina, with the company debuting with the NY24 in 2019, this followed by the NY40 its second model, three years later.

Three Boaters Saved as Flybridge Cruiser Goes Ablaze in Fano

Three boaters were saved as a ten meter flybridge cruiser went ablaze just about half a nautical miles from the Fano harbour, on the Adriatic side of Italy, at about 10:00 morning time of Saturday 31 May.  The three boaters were rescued by a nearby rib, as the Port Captaincy and Vigili dell Fuoco fire fighters from nearby Ancona, Fano, and Pesaro bases rushed to the scene to fight the blaze.  Ultimately the flybridge cruiser was destroyed by the fire, with people on the beach saying they heard a big noise before seeing the boat catching fire. 

The flybridge cruiser in this fire is a Dellapasqua DC10 Fly as produced from 1984 to 1989.  When released the DC10 Fly was a new addition to sit in between the DC9 and DC11 which were both updated in 1983.  The DC10 Fly was also offered in a DC10 Open version, with the model replaced by a second generation Dellapasqua DC10.

1 Injured as Bertram Boat Fire Wrecks in Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale

One man was injured as a ten meter Bertram sportfish cruiser titled m/y Bianca went ablaze near Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, Florida at around 09:30 morning time of Wednesday 28 May.  Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue was on scene with Chopper 4 and two boats, fighting the fire.  The only man onboard, who jumped in the water was rescued by Ocean Rescue lifeguards first and after taken care by paramedics was taken to Broward Health Medical Center.  Ultimately the Bertram cruiser which beached ashore was wrecked by the fire, which took forty minutes to extinguish.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Bertram in this fire is a 33 Flybridge Cruiser Mark.II, as designed by Dave Napier and produced from 1988 to 1992.  The 33 Flybridge Cruiser Mark.II was a soft updated replacement to the Mark I version which debuted in 1977, with this replacing the Ray Hunt designed Bertram 31, which debuted the Bertram boat and yacht builder in 1961.

Eleven Injured as Sea Ray Boat Explodes in Broward Florida

Eleven boaters including two kids were injured as an eleven meter Sea Ray sport cruiser exploded near the New River Triangle, not far from Lauderdale Yacht Club on Southeast 12th Court, Broward County, Florida at about 17:45 of Monday 26 May.  Nearby boats assisted the boaters first, with some of them tossed in the water with the explosion, as Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue responded to the explosion and subsequent fire, and were later assisted by Fort Lauderdale Police, U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Broward Sheriff’s Office.  Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue and the assisting departments controlled the fire as the eleven injured boaters were first taken to Broward Health Medical Center, and then moved to Jackson Memorial Hospital, with one patient being intubated.  Thirteen boaters and a dog were on the Sea Ray when it exploded with two boaters and the dog escaping uninjured, and an investigation ongoing of how this happened.  According to reports the Sea Ray cruiser exploded on ignition of the engine. 

The Sea Ray in this explosion is a 390 Express Cruiser as produced from 1984 to 1991.  The 390 Express Cruiser came as a replacement to the SRV 360 Vanguard Express, and was replaced by the Sea Ray 400 Express Cruiser.

Three Boaters Saved as Sportfish Boat is Fire Wrecked in Jupiter Inlet

Three boaters were saved as a fourteen meter sportfish cruiser titled m/y Numero Uno went ablaze about fifteen nautical miles off the coast of Jupiter Inlet, Florida on the afternoon of Monday 26 May.  The three boaters were saved by a nearby boater, with the US Coast Guard coming later to the scene, and fighting the fire.  Ultimately the sportfish yacht was destroyed by the fire and sank, as the Coast Guard issued a warning for debris in the area.  The boaters were reported uninjured as the cause of the fire was not reported.

M/y Numero Uno the sportfish involved in this fire is a 1988 Ocean Yachts 48 Super Sport as produced from 1986 to 1990. The 48 Super Sport was a replacement to the 50 Super Sport and was replaced by a second generation Ocean Yachts 48 Super Sport.

Four Boats Damaged by Fire in Boat Yard at Birzebbuga Malta

Four boats were severely damaged by fire in a boat storage facility located in Birzebbuga, to the South-East of the Island of Malta on the late evening of Wednesday seventh May.  The fire is reported to have started on a sport cruiser of nine meters in length, and then spread to other nearby boats.  Civil Protection Malta responded to the fire with five fire engines, five water carriers, and a foam tender, with firefighters from Stations 1, 3, 4, 5, and 8 also responding to the fire. The fire was successfully brought under control.  Some boat owners were treated for minor smoke inhalation.  The cause of the fire is not reported.

40 Boats and Yachts Destroyed by Fire in Nautica Aqua Olbia Sardinia

Forty boats and yachts from ten to thirty meters in length were destroyed in a super fire at Nautica Aqua yacht yard shed in via Madagascar, Cala Saccaia, Cipnes industrial area, Olbia for a blaze which started just after 15:30 of Tuesday 22 April.  The Olbia, Arzachena and Tempio Vigili dell Fuoco, plus the specialized units of Costa Smeralda airport, coordinated by the Sassari fire station responded to this complicated extinguishing operation, which with a shed full of boats and yachts, made it become an oven fuelled by glass fibre and the fuel inside the vessels.  The fire fighting operation lasted till the following morning, and seventeen hours to turn off and extinguish.  In a miracle no one was injured in this fire with the exception of one yard worker which suffered little smoke inhalation and was treated on the spot.  The 118 Emergency helicopter was also involved, along with the local police and Carabinieri.  It is not confirmed how the fire started, if from a boat or yacht, or an electrical failure in the shed, with an investigation being opened to find out on what really happened.

Nautica Aqua was founded in 2012 by Raffaele Virdis a previous service manager with Ferretti Group, and Gruppo Gaias a property developer from the area.  With this synergy Nautica Aqua grew fast, operating two big sheds; Aqua and Aquarius adjacent to each other in Madagascar street.

It will be impossible to note all the boats and yachts in this fire, but information has come that a Cerri 86 Flying Sport, Magnum 53 Maltese, and an Otam 65 have been lost.  We will update this list if more information will come along.

Boat Yard Destroyed by Fire Near Porto Rotondo Sardinia

A fire has destroyed one of two sheds of Nautica Fundoni boat yard in Rudanza, near Porto Rotondo, to the North East of Sardinia for a blaze which started at about 02:15 early morning time of Saturday fifth April.  Two Vigili dell Fuoco fire fighting squads from Olbia, a squad from Arzachena plus a plane for water supply responded to the blaze.  Ultimately the fire collapsed and destroyed the shed of the boat yard affected by the blaze, and is reported to have wrecked a boat of about twelve meters in length, twenty ribs of medium and small sizes, a crane truck, and a van.  The damage is reported to be in the couple millions of Euros, with the cause of the fire not reported. 

Nautica Fundoni was founded in 1969 by Tonino Fundoni.  In the beginning of his career Tonino had the intuition to transform the classic Gozzo fishing boat with a planning hull.  The planning Gozzo's becomes a success with private boaters, and as a taxi tourist boat in the Emerald Coast.  Apart the mt 7,40 Gozzo Planante, Fundoni also produced the Topmarine ribs, with the production of these ceased following the fire of November 2014.

This is the second Nautica Fundoni fire as they had a previous blaze in nineteen November 2014, which damaged the production side of the business, and destroyed the moulds of the Gozzo Planante.

Carver Cruiser Destroyed by Fire in Little Creek Norfolk

 

A 72 year old man escaped uninjured as a ten meter Carver aft cabin cruiser was destroyed by a fire in Little Creek, Norfolk, Vancouver for a blaze which started at about 20:30 of Thursday sixth March.  Norfolk Fire-Rescue tended to the fire first, and were later assisted by the US Coast Guard.  The fire was tamed with both foam and water for a boat which ultimately was wrecked and half sunk.  The man who escaped the boat fire uninjured, was a live aboard on the aft cabin cruiser.  Norfolk Fire-Rescue, the Coast Guard, and the Environmental Protection Agency worked together to ensure any threats to the environment are minimized.

The boat in this fire is a Carver 36 Aft Cabin as produced from 1990 to 1992.  The 36 Aft Cabin was a replacement to the Carver 3607 Aft Cabin, and soft evolved into 370 Aft Cabin and then produced up to 1996.

New Rochelle Marina Fire Injures Two Wrecks Seven Boats

A woman and a child were injured in a fire which totalled seven boats at Imperial Yacht Club, in New Rochelle, at about 00:45 of Saturday 22 February.  Fire fighters responded to the blaze, with New Rochelle Police Harbor and Port Washington Long Island Marine all this coordinated by the New Rochelle Harbor master.  The fire got eventually more complicated as the boats burned there lines and freed themselves from the dock, burning other boats.  The fire took about two hours to contain, with the woman and child escaping from one of the boats suffering from smoke inhalation treated by firefighters at the scene before being taken to Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx.  Clean up operations were still ongoing Saturday as two of the boats sank, with one of these blocking the marina canal.  Details how the fire started are not reported, as an investigation is ongoing.

The boats in this fire are not identifiable as most of them are sank, though I can spot a Fleming 55 with what looks as mostly cosmetic fire damage to its starboard side.

Two Women Killed in Newark Boat Fire

Two women were killed in a fire which developed on a boat, at a boat storage facility located in the intersection of Pennsy Place and Pershing Avenue, to the West of Newark Liberal Airport, in Newark, New Jersey shortly before 20:55 of Friday 21 February.  Newark Police responded to the fire and took the two women to University Hospital, were they were pronounced dead.  An adult man was also grievously injured as he was taken to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, who was reported to be in stable condition.  The fire involved two boats, which were trailer parked next to each other in a boat yard.  An investigation on this fire is ongoing, with arson reported to be a possibility.

The damaged boat to the left in this fire is a Sea Ray 230 Overnighter as produced in the mid to late nineties.

One Man Injured as Flybridge Cruiser Goes Ablaze in Adelaide Australia

One man was injured as a thirteen meter flybridge cruiser went ablaze at North Haven Marina in Adelaide, Australia before mid day of Saturday first February.  The man aged in his sixties, who is reported to also be the owner of the vessel suffered fire burns and smoke inhalation and was after treatment on the scene, transported to a hospital.  South Australian Metropolitan Service tended to the fire from land and water with a fireboat, which they controlled in about forty minutes.  The fire also minor damaged nearby boats, mostly to soft furnishings, as the cause of the blaze is under investigation.

The boat in this fire looks to be a Riviera 46 Passagemaker as produced from 1985 to 1994 in 41 units.  The 46 Passagemaker came out as a replacement to the 44 Open Flybridge, and was replaced by the Riviera 48 Open Flybridge.

One Boater Injured as Two Boats Go Ablaze in Long Island Marina

One boater was injured as two boats went ablaze in Manhasset Bay Marina, Port Washington, to the North of New York for a fire which started on 00:30 early hours of Wednesday 22 January.  The fire started on a twelve meter aft cabin cruiser style motor boat, and then jumped on a similar sized sportfish cruiser to its starboard.  The 58-year-old man which suffered from smoke inhalation was on the sportfish cruiser, and was taken to hospital.  Nassau County Fire Marshall, Arson Bomb Squad, and Marine Bureau responded to the blaze which took two hours to turn off, in freezing minus eleven degrees celsius temperatures.  The cause of the fire is not known, with the aft cabin cruiser which started the blaze being unattended.

The aft cabin cruiser which started this fire is a Marine Trader Tradewinds 43 as produced from 1987 to 1991, while the sportfish cruiser is a second generation Post 42 Sport Fisherman as produced from 1997 to 2008.

Classic Chris Craft Saved from Fire in Villa Igiea Palermo

A classic eight meter cabin cruiser, had an onboard fire as it was berthed unattended, at the Villa Igiea marina, in Palermo, Sicily at about 08:30 morning time of Tuesday 21 January.  Marina personnel tended to the fire first, who towed the boat in a secure area out of harming other vessels, and controlled and turned off the blaze.  The marina personnel did such a good job that when the Fire fighting Vigili dell Fuoco squad arrived, they just had to secure the vessel.  The full operation took an hour as it was concluded by 09:30.  An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the fire. 

The boat in this sinking is a classic wooden build Chris Craft Catalina 28 as produced in the seventies with modified super structure, and cabin windows. 

Sportfish Boat Wrecked by Fire in Pirates Cove Marina North Carolina

An express sportfish cruiser titled m/y Fin Chaser of twelve meters in length was wrecked by a fire on the C Dock of Pirates Cove Marina, in the Outer Bank of North Carolina at a blaze which started at 15:02 hours of Friday third January.  The fire was attended by crews from the Roanoke Island Volunteer Fire Department and Nags Head Fire Department, who additionally also removed the boat from its place to avoid further damage.  No one was injured in the fire as the sportfish cruiser was reported unattended during the blaze, but parts of the dock were also damaged from the fire.  Manteo Police Department is investigating the cause of the fire.

M/y Fin Chaser the express sportfish in this fire is a 1987 Jersey Cape Devil 40 as designed by Buddy Davis and Donald Blount and produced from 1987 up to the end of that decade.  The Devil 40 was replaced by the Devil 36.  Featuring the custom Carolina look, Jersey Cape is a New Jersey semi-custom boat builder, located in the Mullica river which started boat building in the mid seventies.

One Dead Five Injured as Boat Explodes in South Florida Marina

One man was killed and five were injured after a ten meter sport cruiser exploded and then went ablaze in Lauderdale Marina, Fort Lauderdale, South Florida just before 18:00 of Monday 23rd December.  Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue responded to the fire after a call on 911, and when they arrived they found that the fire had spread to a smaller pontoon boat.  Video footage will later show the pontoon boat lying behind the sport cruiser which caught fire after exploding.  The five people were transported to nearby hospitals, and three of them suffered traumatic injuries, with the dead person found life less in the sea by Broward Sherriff Office after he was reported lost.  The dead person was a 41 year old male man from Quebec.  Mention also goes to the 51 meter super yacht Amanti which was moored behind the fire area, who also assisted in extinguishing the flames of the two boats.  The cause of the fire is not reported, though the video clip shows the boat exploding after it refuels and then going ablaze.

The sport cruiser in this fire is a Rinker 342 Fiesta Vee as produced from 2002 to 2006.  The Rinker 342 Fiesta Vee was a soft evolution of the previous 340 Fiesta Vee and was replaced by the 360 Express Cruiser.

Amanti the super yacht which helped in the fire extinguishing operation is the Feadship 51.75m hull number 788.  Launched in 2003 as m/y Dream, Feadship's hull 788 was designed by Studio de Voogt for exterior, with interior by Donald Starkey.