14 On Board, $9.1 Million Yacht Sinks 4 Days After Delivery To Owner In Italy

A multi-million dollar luxury yacht sank in the Mediterranean Sea four days after it was delivered to its new owner.

The Angiola II, a 98-foot $9.1 million yacht, was carrying 14 guests and crew members when it caught fire after an engine failure off Porto Cervo, a popular resort town in Sardinia, Italy, on Tuesday, The NY Post reported.

The vessel began taking on water after the fire and eventually tipped onto its side before sinking. Videos from the scene showed the yacht slowly disappearing into the sea.

All 14 people on board were rescued, and no injuries were reported. Most of them were picked up by a nearby vessel. The owner, believed to be an Italian businessman whose identity has not been disclosed, was reportedly the last to leave the yacht. 

They waited for Italian authorities to arrive and take them safely to shore.

The yacht reportedly sank about 23 feet (7 metres) below the sea. It went down in the waters between L'Isola dei Cappuccini and Capo Ferro, along Sardinia's famous Costa Smeralda, also known as the Emerald Coast, according to Fox News.

After the rescue operation, the partially submerged yacht was secured on the seabed. Officials said there appeared to be no fuel leak from the vessel.

The Angiola II is an Amer F100 yacht built by Italian shipbuilder Permare in 2020. It can accommodate up to 10 guests in five cabins and has space for five crew members. 

The four-engine yacht can reach a top speed of 28 knots, or more than 32 mph (52 kmph).

Italian authorities are now investigating the incident. The Italian Coast Guard is looking into what caused the engine failure and the subsequent fire and flooding.

Authorities are also preparing to deploy a 220-ton pontoon boat to recover the yacht from the wreckage site.