The 29 metre Sanlorenzo superyacht Reine d’Azur has been left “almost completely destroyed” after a fire broke out on board.
The yacht was anchored west of Port-Cros when the blaze broke out at around 4.30am on August 11. The alarm was raised at 4.40am and the emergency response was coordinated by Mediterranean Regional Operational Surveillance and Rescue Centre.
Teams from the French Navy and national society of sea rescuers, as well as the chartered support and assistance vessel Jason, attended the scene and safely evacuated all ten people, including four crew members and six guests.
The yacht however was left “almost completely destroyed”, with just “a part of the hull still remaining, according to a statement from the Préfecture Maritime de la Méditerranée.
The hull was towed away from the area and is now being kept in a sheltered area while the owner is consulted on how to proceed. A floating boom was also deployed to contain any pollution potentially caused by the fire. “All debris caused by the fire was recovered from the sea to avoid any impact on the environment,” the statement added.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and an investigation is now underway.