Salerno – A small fire aboard a luxury yacht transformed a morning of sailing in the Gulf of Salerno into a rescue operation coordinated by the Coast Guard. Sixteen passengers and crew were rescued without injury, thanks to rapid and precise intervention.
The alarm was raised late this morning, when the Naples Coast Guard Operations Centre received a distress call from a 50-meter yacht, "M/Y Aura," flying the Maltese flag, sailing approximately 14 miles off the coast of Agropoli.
A small fire broke out in the engine room, alerting the entire crew. The emergency response plan was immediately implemented: while the sailors on board attempted to extinguish the flames with the onboard fire extinguishers, the Coast Guard diverted two patrol boats, CP 304 and CP 267, to the scene to support the operations.
At the same time, a private unit passing through the area was also involved in the operation and diverted from the operations room for immediate rescue.
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There were 16 people aboard the yacht, including passengers and crew. To ensure maximum safety, everyone was transferred and disembarked safely at the Agropoli marina, where they received medical care.
While the sixteen castaways set foot on land, the rescue operations continue. Patrol boats are still offshore supervising the towing of the yacht, which will be towed to port for the necessary technical checks and repairs.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown. The Coast Guard has already begun an investigation to reconstruct the circumstances of the accident, which could have turned into a tragedy at sea.
Crucial to this, as with all rescue operations, is the final outcome: despite the panic and fear, none of the 16 people on board were injured. This outcome confirms the high level of professionalism and prompt response of the Italian maritime rescue system.
Comments (1)
It was a very serious incident, but in the end everyone was rescued without injury. I hope the cause of the fire is discovered to prevent it from happening again in the future and to improve vessel safety.