A luxury superyacht has sunk off the coast of Sardinia just days after it was delivered to its owner. The 30-metre vessel, named Angiola II, capsized between L’isola dei Cappuccini and Capo Ferro in Costa Smeralda, following a fire onboard on Tuesday evening.
All passengers evacuated safely
The £6.8million yacht had been handed over only four days earlier to an unnamed Italian businessman, who was hosting 13 other people when the incident occurred. All passengers onboard were safely evacuated onto other boats, according to Corriere della Sera.
The cause of the sinking is under investigation, with no fuel leak discovered. Footage of the incident showed the superyacht sinking and banking to one side in the Mediterranean Sea.
Recovery efforts underway
Authorities are deploying a 200-tonne specialist tugboat to recover the wreckage, and containment barriers have been placed around the drowned boat to monitor the area.
Previously known as the Limbo and Arsana, the Angiola is one of six yachts under the Amer F100 line made by Permare in 2020. It was propelled by four Volvo Penta diesel engines and had changed hands several times since it first set sail.
Vessel details and response
The yacht has a top speed of 28 knots (about 32 miles per hour) and has an official capacity of ten people across its five cabin rooms. It had been extensively renovated before being handed to its latest owner.
Sardinia is one of Europe’s top destinations for superyachts, though their presence has drawn complaints from locals over private beach use and overcrowding. Amer Yachts said the vessel had been correctly maintained while under warranty. CEO Barbara Amerio said: ‘Like everyone else, we are relieved that passengers and crew are safe – and, like everyone else, we are awaiting official findings.’ She added: ‘It is painful to see a boat sink to which we devoted a year and a half of work, cared for like all our boats, down to the smallest details.’
