A luxury superyacht worth €100 million went up in flames at the picturesque port of Saint-Tropez in southern France, sending shockwaves through the popular tourist destination, The Independent reported.
The incident occurred on July 10, when the 41-metre-long vessel Sea Lady II suddenly caught fire near the Mediterranean coastline. Video footage captured by tourist Gary Sturrock shows the massive yacht engulfed in thick black smoke and roaring orange flames as stunned onlookers watched from the dock.
The port, known for hosting the ultra-wealthy and high-profile celebrities, witnessed panic and confusion as emergency services rushed to the scene.
Nearby yachts were quickly moved to safety, while anti-pollution barriers were deployed to prevent environmental damage.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire. No injuries have been reported so far.
The dramatic visuals of the burning superyacht have since gone viral, sparking conversations around maritime safety and luxury vessel protocols.
In June, a cargo ship that caught fire in the Pacific Ocean sank. The Morning Midas, which was left abandoned as it caught fire, was carrying about 3,000 vehicles, among which around 800 were electric vehicles.
The shipping company said that the cargo ship had sunk on June 23. Zodiac Maritime in a statement further said that the damage caused by the fire was compounded by heavy weather, and subsequently water entered inside the vessel, causing it to sink.
“Damage caused by the fire, compounded by heavy weather and subsequent water ingress, caused the Morning Midas to sink at around 16.35 local time zone (UTC -9) on 23 June, in waters approximately 5,000 metres deep and 360 nautical miles from land,” the manager said in its statement.