Sunken Superyacht Atina Raised off Sardinia for Scrapping After Fire Incident

The sunken superyacht Atina has been successfully raised from the seabed off the coast of Sardinia and is set to be scrapped, as confirmed by Italy’s coast guard. The 154-foot luxury yacht caught fire on August 10 near Olbia, a popular destination in northeastern Sardinia. Fortunately, all 16 passengers and crew members were able to safely evacuate the vessel and reach shore. Reports suggest that the passengers were Turkish nationals, possibly including the suspected owner, Serkan Borancili, founder of a Turkish delivery company. Despite the yacht sinking in shallow waters with 13,000 gallons of fuel onboard, no significant spills were reported.

Atina, which was deemed a total loss, had a high value with its last sale price estimated at around $18 million, not including the recent costly shipyard refit. Due to the shallow depth of the wreck site, the decision was made to remove the vessel. The Dutch Offshore-operated crane barge, Conquest MB1, was chartered for the task. Video footage released by the Guardia Costiera shows the successful operation of righting the yacht using anchor chains and a crane, followed by lifting the wreckage out of the water for transport to a demolition yard in Piombino.

In order to further investigate the incident, authorities plan to conduct a scan of the seabed at the wreck site. The salvage operation was carried out efficiently and safely, ensuring the removal of the sunken superyacht Atina from the waters off Sardinia. The vessel’s insurers faced significant costs due to the loss, highlighting the importance of proper salvage and disposal procedures in maritime incidents.

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