Azimut Yacht Destroyed by Fire in Biograd

A twenty meter Azimut flybridge yacht titled m/y Do This with seven persons onboard went on fire in front of the Kumanat district in Biograd, Croatia at about 09:45 hours of Sunday 27 June 2021. Do This was reportedly cruising in the area at about twenty knots, when the yacht suddenly slowed down to eleven knots, and smoke started coming from the engine room.  At this stage the captain stopped the yacht and upon inspecting the engine room found it fuming.  Seeing this the captain tried to extinguish the fire, and after various tries with no success called a may-day, and abandoned ship helped by two nearby Slovenian and Austrian yachts. Later on at about 11:00 hours the fire was extinguished by a fire fighting boat which arrived from Zadar, although the yacht was totalled and burned to the waterline.  No one was injured or intoxicated in the yacht fire, with this making a lot of news because former Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz Christian Strache and his family where onboard the yacht.  The yacht or what remained of it was salvaged by Zadar company Emergensea, who then took the wreck to Lamjana shipyard on the island of Ugljan. 

M/y Do This is an Azimut 68 Plus designed by Stefano Righini, which debuted in the Genoa boat show in the fall of 1999.  This was a motor yacht which re-invented and dominated the twenty meter segment thanks to its futuristic modern looks, and well appointed four double guest cabins, and one crew cabin layout.  A commercial success from its debut, the Azimut 68 Plus evolved into the 68 Evolution in 2005, with a new stern and hull windows design and then produced up to 2008, selling a total of 150 units in both versions.

Princess Yacht Burns and Sinks in Isle of Wight

An eighteen meter Princess sport yacht titled m/y Peroni with two persons onboard caught fire near Ventnor, to the South of the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom at 10:20 hours of Saturday eleventh November.  The coast guard responded to the May Day call with Bembridge RNLI picking the two persons onboard, while Sandown and Shanklin independent lifeboat and its crew monitored the yacht on fire, and its debris, as it drifted to the South East until it eventually sank at about 13:30 local time.

M/y Peroni is a 2017 Princess V58, an eighteen meter sport yacht designed by Bernard Olesinski with a three double cabins accommodation and a DS saloon patio door or full Open main deck option.  Peroni had the enclosed Deck Saloon option and was powered by the large Volvo 900hp for speeds up to 37 knots.  Produced from 2014 to 18 the V58 came out as a replacement to the V57, and was replaced by the V55 in 2019.

Sunseeker Yacht Destroyed by Fire in Haulover

A 26 meter Sunseeker super yacht went ablaze in Bal Harbour, Haulover Park Marina, 10800 Collins Ave, Northeast Miami-Dade County, Florida on 04:45 early morning time of Saturday 28 October.  The yacht was reported unattended at the time of the fire, with Miami-Dade Fire Recsue finding it difficult to arrive to the yacht due to the length of the dock.  The fire was controlled at about 07:00 hours although fire controls and checks where still ongoing, in order to avoid the possibility of a second burn out from the heat and fumes that had not yet stopped.  Miami-Dade Fire Rescue dispatched a total of 24 units including a few fireboats to control this fire.  No one was injured on the fire, with the cause of the blaze being under investigation.

The Sunseeker super yacht in this fire is a first generation 86 Yacht produced from 2008 till the fall of 09 in nine units.  The 86 Yacht has an interior with four double cabins and two crew cabins, and is powered by twin Man or Cat 1670hp for speeds up to thirty knots.  The 86 replaced the Sunseeker 82 Yacht, and evolved into the 88 Yacht in 2010 with standard hard-top and glazed hull windows replacing the three and four part large port holes.

Super Yacht Burns at Fort Lauderdale Yacht Haven Marina

A 28 meter super yacht titled m/y Self Made burned in flames while berthed in Yacht Haven Marina, near West State Road 84, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on about 22:30 hours of Thursday twelfth October.  Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue and Fire Fighters responded to the blaze which engulfed Self Made, with the flames controlled in about two hours.  After the fire the 28 meter yacht had over half of its main deck and flybridge badly burned down by the fire.  The yacht was reported unattended at the time of the fire, with no injuries and damage to other vessels being reported.  

Motor Yacht Self Made previously named Janet is a Cheoy Lee 92 model delivered in 1999, and last refitted in 2015.  Designed by Tom Fexas the Cheoy Lee 92 debuted in 1988 as an evolution of the 90, and in 1999 received a new super structure design and was produced till 2004 in a total of ten units.  The 92 was replaced by the Burvenich design Cheoy Lee 95 in 2005.

46 meter Super Yacht Burns Down Near Ano Koufonisi

A 46 meter super yacht titled m/y Navis One with twelve crew and ten guests, went ablaze in flames outside the harbour of Ano Koufonisi, to the East of the Cyclades Islands Archipelago, Greece on 20:00 hours of Monday ninth October.  Eye witnesses reported the super yacht anchored in the area around 16:00 local time and four hours later developed a fire to aft of the vessel and within an hour had burned its two upper decks, with fire engulfing the lower decks later on.  The steel super yacht fully wrecked by the fire capsized and sank in the morning of tenth October.  Police assisted Navis One just after the fire started at 20:00 local time, while the coast guard arrived at about 23:00 hours, to firefight and control the fire with no success.  Both guests and crew where evacuated from the yacht and no one was injured in the fire, although a lot of debris was reported in the area, some of substantial size with the yacht wreck also marked as being a navigational hazard.

Motor yacht Navis One, previously named Queen Anne is a Gentech Soraya 46 model build in 2013 with steel hull and aluminium super structure, to an exterior design of Unielle, interior by Ales Bratina, and naval architecture from Meccano Engineering.  Gentech 46 Soraya features accommodation for ten guests in five suites and twelve crew in six cabins, and was powered by twin 1300hp Cat engines for top speeds up to sixteen knots on a displacement hull shape.  Soraya 46 was the only yacht build by the Turkish, Antalya located Gentech Ltd.  Navis One chartered at 200,000 US dollars a week, and was for sale at sixteen million Euros.

Two Yachts Burn Down in Pasadena Marina Florida

A fire in Pasadena Yacht and Country Club located in Boca Ciega Bay, southwest of Gulfport Boulevard, Florida which started after about 16:00 hours of Wednesday fourth October totalled and sank two boats and damaged two more.  The fire started on a thirteen meter flybridge cruiser, which then jumped to the starboard side on a sixteen meters sportfish yacht.  The flybridge cruiser which ignited the fire was totally burned down to the waterline and sank with the fire, while the sportfish yacht to starboard also received extensive damage and partly sank later on.  Another seventeen meter sportfish yacht to port side of the fire starting flybridge cruiser also had fire burning damage, with some minor damage also hitting a same sized sportfish yacht located to starboard a slip away from the fire starting boat.  Gulfport Police Department dispatched officers, emergency crews, and fire fighters to the scene around 17:00 hours.  The cause of the fire is reported as starting from the battery compartment of the thirteen meter flybridge cruiser.  No one was injured in the fire although damages are reported to be about 1.3 million US dollars.

Pasadena Yacht and Country Club was also involved in a fire on 03:00 hours of eighteen December 2020.  We did not report that fire back then as I found nearly zero information apart a photo of three empty slips damaged by fire.

The boat which started the fire is a Meridian 441 Sedan produced from 2003 to 2008, a model sold over three hundred hulls and was one of the biggest successes of the Brunswick incorporated and owned 2003 to 2016 brand.  The other sportfish yacht which burned down and sank is a Viking 52 Convertible, a model produced from 2002 to 09, with the boat to port side of the starting boat, also being a Viking, but the 55 Convertible from 1998 to 2003.  The further boat to starboard is another Viking but a 56 Convertible which was produced from 2004 to 2010.

Fast Furious Controlled Fire in Malta

A 44 meter super sport yacht titled m/y Fast and Furious had a fire at about 18:45 hours of Thursday fourteen September when berthed in Grand Harbour Marina, Vittoriosa, Malta.  The fire was reported immediately with Maltese fire fighters and police going into the scene and controlling the blaze.  No one was injured in the fire, which was put under control after some minutes.  At this stage it is not reported from where the fire originated, with the yacht having near to nothing visible damage of the fire outside.

M/y Fast and Furious is an AB Yachts 145 from 2016 with accommodation for ten guests in five suites, including a master stateroom on the main deck, and seven crew in four cabins.  Fast and Furious is powered by triple 2700hp MTU with jet propulsion, an AB Yachts specialization for top speeds up to 42 knots.  Fast and Furious is a one off and the largest AB Yachts build so far, although the Viareggio builder did offer a 166 project in around 2013 which never sold.

Pershing Yacht Burns Down in Dominican Republic

An unattended nineteen meter Pershing sport yacht went ablaze near La Romana in Dominican Republic on the afternoon of Sunday tenth September.  The yacht was unattended at the time of the fire, with the marina staff towing her out to avoiding damage to nearby yachts.  Videos on social media show the Pershing yacht as it is smoking from the engine room while in its berth, and then fully engulfed in flames outside the harbour.  The Pershing yacht became a total loss, and then sank.  La Romana is in the South of the Dominican Republic, and is 5/8 of the Hispaniola island, with the other 3/8s being Haiti to the West. 

The Pershing in this fire is a 64 model.  Designed as all Pershing's by Fulvio de Simoni the 64 debuted in 2008, offering a three double cabins and 46 knots performance from Man 1550hp engines and surface drives propulsion.  The Pershing 64 was a success for the famous brand also for its innovative patio door on the main deck which disappeared in the floor and created a seamless area with the aft deck.  The 64 was a replacement to the 62, and was replaced by the second generation 62 in 2014, although it was produced for an extra two years till 2016 due to demand.

Super Sport Yacht Burns Down in Sydney

A 28 meter super sport yacht titled m/y Andiamo burned down in Woolwick Dock, Sydney at 20:10 hours of Saturday second September.  The yacht was reported unattended at the time of the fire, and took New South Wales Fire and Rescue teams some hours before it could be fully controlled and extinguished.  The fire took longer then expected also because the yacht was carrying over four thousand litres of fuel. Investigations on the cause of the fire are ongoing, although the case is not treated as suspicious.  Azzurra as the picture above shows became a total wreck after the fire, but no further damage to nearby yachts was made, thanks to the intervention of the fire fighting crew. 

M/y Andiamo is a Azzura 28.7 meter build in 2010 to a design of One2Three, a one off project with a carbon fibre hull and fiberglass super-structure, reaching speeds up to forty knots, and an interior of four double cabins and two crew rooms.  Built and designed in Australia, this Azzura super sport yacht was first commissioned by Sandy Oatley, the son of the late Bob Oatley who with his Wild Oats maxi sailing yachts won the Sydney Hobart race nine times.  

Founded by Iain Murray, Azzura Yachts from Australia was the power boating arm of Azzura Marine, who also owned Marten and Sydney Yachts.  Azzura build three other super yachts from 26 to thirty meters in between 2002 and 10, with Andiamo being its last build.  Azzura Marine entered receivership in 2009, and was liquidated in 2019.

Fairline Yacht Burns Down in Krestovsky Island St. Petersburg

A 22 meter Fairline motor yacht burned and eventually sank in Krestovsky Island yacht marina, in the North West of St. Petersburg, Russia on the morning of Thursday seventeen August. Tens of fire fighters rushed to scene in both land and sea ways to control the fire with no success.  According to the reports the yacht burned when it was trying to start a generator. No one was injured in the fire, and other boats seem to have not been involved. Videos on social media pages show how the yacht quickly burned down from top to bottom in a space of fifteen minutes. The yacht semi-sank after the fire though it is considered a wreck to dispose off.

The Fairline in this fire is a Squadron 74 produced from 2003 to 07, to a design of Bernard Olesinski.  The Fairline Squadron 74 offered an interior of four double cabins and was powered by Cat or Man engines of 1500hp for speeds in around 32 knots.  The Squadron 74 was Fairline flagship at launch, selling 29 units in four years, before evolving into the Squadron 78 Custom in 2008 and selling another 86 units till 2018, making it one of the most sold yachts in its size.

Sunseeker Yacht Burns Down During Poker Run

A seventeen meter Sunseeker sport yacht burned down during a Poker run event in Cap Juluca, in the South West of Anguilla island, the Lesser Antilles on the afternoon of Saturday twelfth August. Owned by Calypso Anguilla Charters, and the larger of its five boat fleet, the Sunseeker yacht was under commercial duty when it went ablaze. The fire is being said to have started from the galley area of the main deck, though this is not officially confirmed.  No one was injured during the fire with guests later thanking the quick thinking and action of the captain and crew for getting everyone off board safely.  The  Anguila Poker Run 2023 was in its eight edition held on Saturday twelfth August.

The Sunseeker in this fire is the Predator 56 model, released in the fall of 1999 and produced till 2003 with an interior of two double cabins, including an owners stateroom at midships.  The Predator 56 offered a different layout and was Sunseeker first boat with an up and down bathing platform.  The 56 was a replacement to the Predator 54 mk.1 and was replaced by the Portofino 53 in 2004.  The hull of the Predator 56 was also used in the flybridge Manhattan 56.

Super Yacht Irmao Burns Down in Formentera

Motor yacht Irmao, a 27 meter super yacht with seventeen people onboard, five crew and twelve guests who was anchored off Formentera burned down and eventually was totalled and sank as a wreck, on 18:00 hours of Saturday twelfth August.  Irmao had a fire develop in the engine room, before it engulfed all the yacht, with it sinking at 21:00 hours near Punta de Sa Pedrera, in the North East of the Island.  The guests and crew where reportedly saved by nearby boats and yachts, with one of the crew members suffering minor burn and requiring hospital treatment.  The yacht was towed by the motor vessel Acrux, which came from Mallorca before it sank at Punta Sa Pedrera under tow.  

Irmao is reported as owned by professional poker player Diego Gomez Gonzalez and was offered for charter at 53,000 euros in this time of the year.  The yacht was reported last refitted in 2020.  Irmao burned just one year and one day to the anniversary of the 45 meter Aria SF, which was probably one of the most astonishing fires of 2023 being that the ISA Yachts 45m GT was just a couple months old.

Irmao previously named B3 is a 1995 build 96 delivered Astondoa 90 GLX, designed by Nuvolari Lenard for both exterior and interior, with five double guest suites, and two crew cabins, and was powered by twin Detroit 1800hp for a top speed up to 29 knots at launch, with current charter brochures quoting eighteen knots.  Two units where build of the 90 GLX, before the model evolved into the 95GLX in 1998, and selling ten units.  The 90 GLX was the first Nuvolari Lenard Astondoa collaboration which lasted over ten years, and created international success and recognition for both parties.

Flybridge Yacht with Nine People Burns Down in Gorgona

A sixteen meter flybridge yacht with nine persons onboard, six adults and three kids burned down to the South of Gorgona island, in the North Tyrennian sea on 13:00 hours of tenth August. The nine persons departed Marina di Pisa direction Capraia island for the weekend when half way into the trip the flybridge yacht went ablaze.  The helmsman of the yacht called for assistance and put himself and the guests onboard the life-raft, before then being assisted by the Italian Guardia Costeria boat and a fire fighters rib.  No success in turning off the fire with the flybridge yacht wreck sinking at about 14:30 hours in a depth of about 135 meters.  No fuel and oil sea pollution was reported from the fire and sinking.

This lost to fire flybridge yacht is a Raffaelli 52 Maestrale, designed by Nuvolari Lenard and produced from 1995 till 2010.  The 52 Maestrale, Italian meaning for North West was a success for Raffaelli selling in over one hundred units, and was the only collaboration with the Venice design studio.  The Maestrale replaced the 1986 to 1993 produced Fulvio de Simoni designed Ouragan, and was never really replaced, as Raffaelli went in financial difficulties in 2010.  A Raffaelli Maestrale 56 project was presented in 2015 but not been produced as yet.

Princess Yacht Fire in Florida Kills One Woman

 

A 21 meter Princess motor yacht went on fire while berthed at Perry Hotel and Marina Key West, Stock Island Florida on 00:10 hours of Wednesday July 26.  The fire is believed to have left one 51 year old woman and her dog dead, with 59 year old husband and son badly injured.  The family was visiting the Florida Keys for the lobster mini season. The yacht was already engulfed in flames when Monroe County Fire Rescue arrived in the scene, taking them three hours to extinguish the fire.  According to reports the presumed dead woman returned back to the boat to rescue her dog, with husband and son also following her and getting injured in the process.  Husband and son where airlifted for treatment to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami.  Another family was on the boat but suffered no injuries.  The Princess motor yacht sank, and is a total loss.  Some unconfirmed reports are saying that the cause of fire is from Lithium batteries.

The Princess yacht in this fire is a 21M model produced from 2004 to 10. Designed as all Princess from the early eighties till today by Bernard Olesinski the Princess 21M offered a four double cabins interior with a crew cabin for two and is powered by Man 1050hp or optional 1300hp engines.  The Princess 21M was replaced by the 72 MY in 2010. 

Lurssen Shipyard Fire in Lemwerder Premises

A fire broke out in Lurssen Lemwerder premises at around 18:47 hours of Wednesday 28 June.  The police report has indicated that the fire broke out in one of the new construction sheds, with plastic ventilation pipes burning up and catching fire during welding works. 95 fire fighters rushed to the scene, with all the workers being quickly evacuated and one of them being treated for smoke inhalation. The new constructed vessel according to reports has not been affected by the fire, though about 70,000 euros of damage to machinery is estimated to have happened.  

Lurssen shipyard had a terrible fire in fourteen September 2018, with 150 workers evacuated and Project Sassi in its final construction stages being heavily damaged.  Project Sassi a 146 meter super yacht, tenth largest in the World will be rebuilt by Lurssen owned Blohm and Voss and launched in March this year.  

Founded in 1875 the German super yacht specialist is currently in its fourth generation headed by Friedrich II and Peter Lurssen, and is one of the most highly rated for the larger sized super yachts, hundred meters or more.  Lurssen has in its portfolio the largest yacht build in the World for volume with the 2016 launched 156 meter m/y Dilbar, designed by Espen Oino.

Motor Yacht Burns and Sinks in Korcula Channel

A 21 meter motor yacht titled La Belle with Croatian flag and four persons onboard, went on fire and then sank in the Korcula channel, North Dalmatia islands in Croatia on Saturday 24 June at around 13:00 hours.  The motor yacht was cruising in the Korcula channel between the islands of Korcula, Hvar, and Vis when it developed a fire.  Immediate the response of the Croatia safety agencies with a rescue boat departing the port of Lostovo first on the scene and saving the four crew members, and a fire brigade from Smokvica arriving a bit later to extinguish the yacht fire, with no success as it eventually burned down and sank in a depth of about seventy meters.  No injuries where sustained by the four crew, and the yacht left no pollution in the aftermath of the fire.  According to the crew testimony the yacht fire was developed from one of the engines.

M/y La Belle is a Yaretti 2110 from 1994, refitted in 2015, and was powered by twin Man 680hp engines with accommodation for eight guests in four cabins, and two crew forward.  Yaretti was founded in 1987 by Austrian Walter Sigl with boats sub contracted and build by Horizon in Taiwan.  For example the Yaretti 2110 was based around the Horizon 58 Pantera launched in 1990, extended in length for the extra cabin and some styling differences.  Yaretti stopped production in around the end nineties to restart in 2003 and then stop again in around the 2008 financial crisis.  In its second life Yaretti also sold two 2520, 25 meters super yachts.

Baia Yacht on Fire in Channel Islands California

A 24 meter Baia super sport yacht titled Our Nauti Dream went on fire and was severely damaged while berthed in Port Hueneme in Channel Islands, Los Angeles USA on the morning of Friday 24 March.  A team of six fire fighters went onto the marina pontoon to control the fire with no success as the yacht is now mostly in a salvage state, as the picture above shows.  The Baia yacht was unattended at the time of the fire with no injuries to persons being reported.  Unconfirmed reports are stating the Baia yacht burned from a short circuit battery related causing the fire.

Our Nauti Dream is a Baia B80 from 1993 powered by twin GM 1450hp and Arneson surface drive propulsion giving speeds up to forty knots.  The B80 was launched in 1992 to a design of Carlo Galeazzi and was the Italian builder flagship at launch, surpassed by the one off B105 flybridge in 1994, which is at today still the largest Baia ever build.  Produced till 2004 Baia sold ten B80 and 80 Panther as the model evolved in 1999, redesigned upper structure with forward facing radar arch and hard top.  The Baia 80 was replaced by the 78/80 Atlantica in 2003.  Baia was founded in  1961 and closed in 2016, although since then every fall we do have news of the company coming back, which so far never materialized.

Princess Yacht Fire in Fort Lauderdale

A 26 meter Princess yacht titled m/y Hot Pursuit went in flames while berthed in her berth at Las Olas Isles, in Fort Lauderdale on 10:30 morning time of Wednesday March eight.  No one was aboard the yacht when Hot Pursuit's flybridge started to burn, with Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue responding to the fire and managing to control the flames, limiting the damage to the flybridge.  The causes of the fire are unknown with the first indications showing that it was an electrical fault which started the flames.

M/y Hot Pursuit is a Princess 88 MY from 2018.  Designed by Bernard Olesinski the Princess 88 MY was launched in 2013 and produced till 2019 in 27 units.  The 88 MY offered an interior with four double guest cabins, and two crew rooms and was powered by twin Cat 1825 or 1925hp engines.  A replacement to the Princess 85, the 88 MY was replaced by the half a meter smaller Y85 in 2019.

Mangusta Lost to Fire in Hungary

A 25 meter Overmarine Mangusta super sport yacht titled m/y Le St. James went ablaze while in her berth at the Viking Yacht Club, by the Arpad Bridge, in Budapest, Hungary on fourteen February at around 1230 hours.  The yacht was unattended, with the fire being reported to have started on the main deck in the cockpit.  The fire was extinguished at 1400 hours with four fire engines, twenty fire fighters, and the Szent Florian fire boat.  No one was injured and material damage was limited to the 25 meter Mangusta which looked a total semi-sunk wreck when all was finished.

M/y Le St.James is an Overmarine Mangusta 80 from 2004, a semi custom super sport yacht designed by Stefano Righini and produced from 1992 to 2011.  Produced in 73 units the Mangusta 80 is Overmarine best success to date, with the model spawning four different versions over the years, forward radar arch till 1995, aft looking radar arch 1996 to 2005, and two hard-top version introduced in 2005 and fully enclosed from 2007.

Yacht Burns and Sinks in Rio de la Plata

A twenty meter motor yacht titled m/y Azimut III with three crew onboard burst into flames and eventually sank in Rio de la Plata, Argentina at about 06:45 hours of 27 December.  The motor yacht departed San Fernando at 05:15 bound Punta dell Este Uruguay, and one hour and half into the trip it went ablaze.  The crew was assisted by nearby yacht Le Plus.  Victor Silveira the captain who was given this duty for the yacht for the coming two months told the story and how in three minutes the yacht was ablaze and eventually burned down and sank.  

M/y Azimut III is a Segue 62 a model produced from the late nineties up to the early 2000s.  Founded in 1974 Segue yachts is an Argentina yacht builder popular in South America, though recently it has also been entering into the North American market.  Today Segue builds twelve cruisers and yachts from 32 up to 94 feet.