A luxury yacht destroyed in a fire has been recovered from the bottom of the sea in Sardinia.
The $18million (£13.8m) superyacht, named Atina, sank in the Gulf of Olbia after a devastating fire broke out on board on August 10, forcing sixteen passengers and crew members to flee in what became a miraculous escape.
For just under three months, the 47m-long vessel – owned by founder of grocery app Getir, Serkan Borancili – has remained at the bottom of the Mediterranean, lying on its side at a depth of about eight metres.
However, it has now been recovered following a successful recovery operation coordinated by the Port Authority of Olbia and carried out by specialised personnel from Resolve Marine.
About ten divers worked with parbuckling operations and a crane to straighten and lift the yacht so it could be placed on the platform of the Conquest MB1.
A luxury yacht destroyed in a fire has been recovered from the bottom of the sea in Sardinia
This is the dramatic moment a £14m superyacht, named the Atina, owned by the founder of troubled grocery app Getir caught fire and sunk off the coast of Sardinia
Sixteen passengers and crew escaped from the Atina before it was completely engulfed in flames on August 10 whilst it was moored in the Gulf of Olbia
The coastguard is preparing to inspect the Atina to conclude investigations into the cause of the shipwreck.
Shocking photographs shows the charred remains of the 154-foot vessel, which was built by the Dutch shipyard Heesen Yachts in 2008.
The blue and white hull has become a blackened mass, while the deck, bridge and rear door have been rendered unrecognisable.
Operations were suspended on the evening of November 3, as the chains fixed to Atina needed to be moved to a new position.
The structure is reported to be heavier than expected due to being immersed in water over a prolonged period of time.
Its retrieval was resumed this morning, and the yacht is set to be transferred for demolition.
The investigation will be concluded on November 6 and 3D scans of the area where the vessel sank will be carried out.
The Atina was sold in 2021 for more than £14million and it won an award at the World Superyacht Awards in 2009.
Shocking photographs shows the charred remains of the 154-foot vessel
The blue and white hull has become a blackened mass, while the deck, bridge and rear door have been rendered unrecognisable
Operations were suspended on the evening of November 3, as the chains fixed to Atina needed to be moved to a new position
Passengers and crew, who were forced to flee from the ship, were collected by firefighters and coastguards and there were no reported injuries
The yacht, which featured five cabins, lounge areas and an entertainment system, underwent an eight-month-long revamp when it was bought three years ago with the top deck completely redesigned.
The ship was priced at €220,000 per week and operated in Corsica and the French Riviera, according to BOAT international.
The Atina’s owner, Turkish entrepreneur Serkan Borancili, who co-founded the troubled Getir app in 2015, had used the vessel for luxury cruises in the Mediterranean.
At the time of the horror incident, the businessman was onboard with friends before the vessel became completely engulfed in flames.
Passengers and crew were forced to flee from the vessel, before being collected by firefighters and coastguards. There were no reported injuries.
Pictured: Serkan Borancili who co-founded the troubled grocery app Getir
Footage from the Olbia Coast Guard shows the yacht sinking while being doused with an extinguisher
Footage released by the Olbia Coast Guard showed the multi-million-pound yacht sinking while being doused with an extinguisher in the port that has been dubbed ‘Billionaire’s Playground.’
The yacht was carrying around 50,000 litres of fuel but the Olbia Port Authority said no spills had been detected.
The fire is believed to have begun in the superyacht’s engine compartment but the cause of the blaze is currently being investigated.
The incident involving Borancili’s yacht comes after an Italian vessel started sinking off an idyllic Greek holiday island after a member of the crew left a side door open in July.
The 150ft mega yacht ‘Ethos’, setting renters back a whopping £180,000-a-week, was seen taking in water off the coast of Kefalonia while in the Paleokaravo Bay.
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