New 44m superyacht destroyed by fire off Spanish coast

The brand new ISA superyacht Aria SF was engulfed by fire while cruising off the coast of Formentera in Spain yesterday (11 Aug 22).

The 43.7-metre ISA superyacht left the shipyard in Ancona, Italy, in April, and was delivered to its owner in July.

Footage circulated on social media shows plumes of dark smoke rising from the yacht, which reportedly sent a distress call from its location in Cala Saona at around 5pm local time. The column of smoke rising from Aria SF on fire was visible from neighbouring Ibiza.

Incendio yate de 40 metros en Formentera pic.twitter.com/77yNRrRTSx

— nachocandel (@nachocandel_) August 11, 2022

Local media reports that two boats were sent out to assist the burning vessel, which was on fire for at least three hours. A total of nine guests and seven crew were all evacuated, with no injuries reported. The yacht is now being towed to Ibiza.

It’s not the only Italian-built yacht to suffer a fire in recent months. A 27-metre Pershing 88 superyacht caught fire off the coast of Positano, Italy, in July 22. A fire also destroyed a 27-metre Sanlorenzo SX at the Port de Valencia back in April this year.

Aria SF was originally sold in March 2019 and hit the water in April 2022. The superyacht has a volume of 432 GT, and can accommodate up to 10 guests. It was the first hull in the new ISA GT 45 series. The yacht’s sporty exterior was penned by Team For Design – Enrico Gobbi, with interiors by Luca Dini.

The superyacht was set to make its world debut at the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival in September, and was also scheduled to appear at the Monaco Yacht Show later the same month.

The cause of the blaze is not known, and investigations are ongoing. The second hull in the ISA GT 45 series is currently under construction, with delivery expected in 2023.