A £3.8million superyacht has sunk in the Mediterranean just days after being handed over to its new owner.
The Angiola II capsized on Tuesday evening off Porto Cervo, Sardinia, between Cappuccini Island and Capo Ferro.
Video from the scene shows the luxury vessel rolling onto its side before slipping beneath the surface, as people on nearby boats look on.
The 98-foot yacht had reportedly been delivered to its Italian owner only four days earlier after undergoing a major refurbishment.
The La Maddalena Coast Guard brought the situation under control after an operation lasting almost three hours, allowing the yacht to sink in a controlled and safe manner.
Since Tuesday, the vessel has been resting on the seabed around seven metres (23ft) below the surface, where it is expected to remain until recovery crews can raise it from the water.
The yacht is believed to have lost buoyancy after an engine failure triggered a fire in the seals, which then allowed water to pour into the vessel.
Officials have not yet confirmed the precise cause of the flooding or the sinking.
A superyacht worth £3.8million sank in the Mediterranean only days after it was delivered to its new owner
The Angiola II capsized on Tuesday evening off Porto Cervo, Sardinia, between Cappuccini Island and Capo Ferro
The owner, who remains unknown, was among the 14 people on board the yacht when it started to sink.
Twelve were rescued by another vessel sailing nearby, while the owner and a friend remained on the sinking yacht as they waited for a patrol boat, which transported them to Poltu Quatu.
No injuries were reported.
Ship brokerage Agenzia Marittima De Felice announced the purchase of the yacht in July, describing the owner as ‘a client of the agency for many years’.
Italian media have estimated the yacht’s value at more than €8million (£6.8million).
The Angiola II was launched by the Italian shipyard Permare under the Amer Yachts brand in July 2020. It was the sixth hull in the Amer F100 series.
The Amer F100 had accommodation for up to ten guests across five cabins.
A pontoon weighing approximately 200 tons will reportedly be used to remove the wreck.
A brand new £700,000 luxury yacht turned over and sank last September in northern Turkey
La Maddalena Port Authority is also reportedly taking measures to prevent any environmental damage.
This comes after a brand new £700,000 ($940,000) luxury yacht turned over and sank last September.
The incident happened about 200m offshore in the Eregli district of Zonguldak in northern Turkey on Tuesday.
Footage shows the yacht tipping onto its side and sinking into the sea as those on board jump overboard in panic.
A man, believed to be the owner, can be seen standing on the side of the vessel as it begins to sink, before he plunged into the sea and began to hurriedly swim to shore.
The boat’s captain and two crew members are also understood to have jumped overboard.
No injuries were reported.
The vessel, named Dolce Vento, was between 24 and 30m long and had been completed at the Med Yilmaz Shipyard in about five months before being delivered to its owner from Istanbul.
Coast Guard and port teams were dispatched and established a security perimeter.
Rescue teams with technical equipment have been sent to the scene to begin recovery work.
Shipyard officials said a detailed investigation will be carried out and the cause of the sinking will be determined following technical inspections.
Experts have noted that stability problems, such as errors in metacentric height calculations, are among the most significant factors that can cause vessels to capsize or sink.
Agenzia Marittima De Felice has been contacted for comment.
