Newly acquired multi-million dollar luxury yacht, approximately $9.1 million sank in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Sardinia on Tuesday, 11 August, following an engine failure that caused a fire. 

All 14 passengers on The Angiola II—including its owner, an undisclosed Italian businessman—were safely rescued. No casualties or injuries were reported. 

The vessel reportedly took on water after the fire broke out, eventually listing to its side before sinking. 

The 98-foot motor yacht, Angiola II, was navigating the waters between L'Isola dei Cappuccini and Capo Ferro, near the resort hub of Porto Cervo, when trouble began in the engine room.

Initial assessments indicate an engine failure triggered a localized fire, which compromised hull seals and allowed seawater to breach the vessel.

As the yacht began listing heavily to its starboard side, crew members alerted nearby vessels and the La Maddalena Coast Guard.

Environmental response

The Angiola II eventually submerged to a depth of roughly 23 feet (7 meters). The Coast Guard deployed floating containment booms around the site to mitigate potential fuel leaks.

The vessel features double-bottom structural fuel tanks, which officials hope will minimize environmental contamination if the wreck remains intact during retrieval.

Salvage teams are organizing heavy-lifting equipment, including a specialized 200-ton pontoon, to raise the yacht from the seabed. Built in 2020 by Italian shipyard Permare under its Amer Yachts brand, the Angiola II had recently undergone an extensive refurbishment before its sale.

Italian maritime authorities are conducting a formal technical inspection to pinpoint the exact sequence of mechanical failures that brought down the yacht..