Azimut yacht caught on video ablaze off Italian coast

A pocket superyacht, believed to be a 1998 Azimut 58, has been spotted engulfed by flames off the Italian island of Ischia near Naples.

The 18-metre (59-foot) vessel reportedly caught fire in the mouth of the port of Ischia while still moored, and the subsequent inferno was caught on film by a number of shocked onlookers and local press.

The local coast guard and fire services, led by Lieutenant Andrea Meloni, rescued those still on board and extinguished the flames after a few hours. No injuries have been reported.

To mitigate the damage to surrounding vessels, the yacht was pulled a safe distance away while still burning – as can be seen in a video on Instagram. The yacht was reportedly a fibreglass build from Viareggio; it has been almost entirely destroyed by the fire.

An investigation has been opened into the circumstances leading to the fire, which took place on 3^rd October.

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