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. 

Yacht Fire in La Paz Mexico Kills One Person, Injures Three

A fire onboard a 23 meter motor yacht at Puerta Cortes Tourist Complex, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico on 07:00 hours of Monday 24th July killed one person and injured three more, with the fire also jumping and partially burning another smaller fourteen meter Grand Banks explorer cruiser.  The fire was reported starting in the engine room of the 23 meter motor yacht, as crew where doing some work.  Three teams where dispatched to control the fire; Heroic La Paz Fire Department, La Paz Municipal Traffic and Security Directorate, and Municipal Civil Protection.  The person which was identified dead on the scene ended trapped in the engine room with the fire, while three more persons had injuries with a 37 year old also suffering extensive third grade burns.  The big 23 meter yacht eventually burned totally and became a total loss, while the smaller fourteen meter had its fire controlled, although it also received extensive damage to its bow area.

The 23 meter motor yacht in this fire is a Numarine 78 Flybridge as produced from 2008 to 2017 designed by Can Yalman and Tommaso Spadolini.  The smaller explorer cruiser is a Grand Banks 49 Classic as produced from 1980 to 99, with over 120 units sold.

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.

Damen Antalya Shipyard Fire

A fire developed at a Damen Yachting Shipyard hall located at the Antalya Free Zone, Turkey on Monday May 15, 2023.  The fire developed on one of the construction halls with local fire fighters responding to the call, and evacuation protocol going into operation.  No one was injured in the fire, with the hall also being void of any projects, even though this is reported to have sustained a huge amount of damage.  Damen Antalya is believed to have three support super yachts in build at this moment in Antalya.

Damen yachting shipyard Antalya is one of ten ship building facilities of the Dutch company founded in 1927 on the River Merwede.  The Antalya facility was bought in 2013, previously a site of Vitters and opening up as Damen Shipyards Antalya in 2015.  Damen Antalya is specialized in building supply vessels, and support super yachts from 35 to eighty meters.

Viking Yacht Catches Fire at Dry Dock in Fort Lauderdale

A 23 meter Viking sportfish yacht titled m/y Banjo went ablaze while dry docked in a yard to the North Southwest 20 Street and 18 Avenue, off the South Fork New River area in Fort Lauderdale on 0700 hours on the morning of Friday fourteen April.  Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Department responded to the fire with five vehicles and multiple crews.  It was not reported if the yacht had any people or workers onboard when the fire started with this taking about two hours to control and extinguish, and no one accounted as injured in the fire.  Investigations are ongoing as why the fire started.

M/y Banjo is a 2012 Viking 76 Convertible.  Produced from 2009 to 19, the Viking 76 Convertible offers a five double stateroom four heads layout and is powered by twin 1825hp up to 2600hp engines for speeds of over forty knots. The 76 came out as a replacement to the 74 Convertible, and was replaced by the 80 Convertible in the fall of 2016.

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.

Prestige Yacht Catches Fire at Ruskin Tampa

An unattended sixteen meter Prestige flybridge motor yacht titled m/y Flood Cuts under Warwick registry went ablaze while berthed in Little Harbor Marina, Ruskin, Tampa on 09:12 hours morning of Thursday 26 January 2023.  Hillsborough Fire County responded to the fire from land first with Engine Seventeen, and later on from the sea with Fire Boat 29, to de-water the vessel in order to avoid her from sinking. No one was injured in the fire, with the damages being limited to the yacht.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

M/y Flood Cuts is a Prestige 550 Flybridge as designed by Garroni, and produced from 2012 to 15.  The 550 Flybridge and S is one of Prestige most successful models above fifty feet, with the model selling 170 units in a production run of just three years, and then evolving into the 560 in 2016.

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.

New Orleans Yard Fire Burns Five Boats

A fire broke out at Seabrook Harbour and Marine in New Orleans, USA at around 0545 hours of the morning of Sunday thirteen November.  According to reports the fire started in the office before it moved to a dry docked yacht stored near the building.  The fire is reported to have destroyed a total of five boats, three in dry dock, and two docked in the water.  Due to the strong winds of the day the fire took over two hours to extinguish, with 21 units and fifty five fire fighters controlling and extinguishing it on 0815 local time. No injuries have been reported.  

Of the boats damaged and wrecked one is the 23 meter m/y Bougie build in 1929 as a custom commuter vessel and refitted in 2013.  Bougie actually was at Seabrook for a make up job.  An other totalled yacht is a Hatteras 65 Convertible Series I, a model the famous Carolina brand build from 1986 up to 98.  A further sportfish as in the above photo is a 1989 to 1997 Bertram 72 Convertible in enclosed bridge version which looks to have sustained some burning damage.

Sport Yacht Saved from Fire in Miami Beach Marina

A 21 meter Lazzara sport yacht with twelve persons onboard went inflames while on charter duty in Miami Beach Marina near Government Cut on Friday 28 October at around 1200 hours.  As the fire was averted the captain of the charter yacht made the guests jump in the water from the bow with assistance by a small tender who came from a nearby yacht.  Fire fighting crews rushed to the scene and saved the sport yacht from going fully ablaze, possibly living another day after an important refit.  The cause of the fire is unknown though unconfirmed news are reporting it started from a generator.  Surprisingly the guests who travelled for this retreat to Miami continued the fun on another yacht.

The sport yacht in this fire is a Lazzara LSX 75, a model the USA boat builder produced from 2006 till 2009 in fifteen units.  The Lazzara LSX 75 has interior with three double cabins, plus a crew cabin for two.  The Lazzara LSX 75 was also nick named the Quad for its innovative at the time quadruple Volvo 435hp with IPS pod drives set up, which in 2006 also made her the largest IPS pod drive yacht.  The LSX 75 was replaced by the LSX 78 in 2010.

Sunseeker Super Yacht Fire in Hamilton Island

A 25 meter Sunseeker super yacht titled m/y Time Out went on fire in Hamilton Island, Queensland, Australia at around 1000 hours of 24 October.  Time Out burned out for about five hours before it was extinguished, with the fire fighting work hindered by windy weather. The yacht was reported unattended at the time of the fire, with the flames looking to have started from the main deck. The fire was contained to Time Out and did not extend to nearby yachts, with the emergency services working to save the yacht from sinking to avoid further pollution damage.  No one was injured in the fire, although some people who went to close to the yacht have suffered minor smoke inhalation.  

M/y Time Out is a Sunseeker 82 Yacht model produced from 2002 till 2007 in twenty units.  Designed by the Sunseeker design team and Don Shead, the 82 Yacht offers a four double cabins interior and is powered by twin Man or Cat engines from 1500 to 1700hp.  The 82 Yacht was replaced by the 86 Yacht mark.1 in 2007 produced for two years in only two units.