The 25.2-metre Azimut motor yacht Forty Two has sunk following a fire in France's Vieux-Port in Marseille.
According to local reports, the blaze broke out on Sunday 5 July at approximately 10.30am. The cause of the outbreak is unknown, though the fire is believed to have begun on a sub-24-metre motor yacht, before spreading to other vessels including Forty Two. According to BOATPro, the yacht had only arrived in the marina on Friday 3 July.
Images and videos shared online reveal the extent of the fire, with thick black smoke seen rising above the port near the City Hall. Marins-pompiers de Marseille, Marseille's naval firefighting battalion and the largest unit of the French Navy, deployed 150 sailor-firefighters and 37 vehicles to battle the blaze. The battalion announced that the fire was "under control" by 12.00pm.
Six people suffered minor burns and around a dozen others were victims of smoke inhalation. They were transported to the nearest hospital to receive treatment. An investigation into the cause of the fire is already underway.
Forty Two was delivered in 2023 by Italian shipyard Azimut as one of 29 yachts from the Magellano 25M RPH series. She was designed by Ken Freivokh, with an interior penned by Vincenzo de Cotiis.
BOAT International will update the story as it develops.