Italian authorities report that a luxury yacht caught fire while off Agropoli on Italy's Tyrrhenian Sea coast on Thursday, October 9.
The Malta-registered Espadarte was 17 nautical miles off the coast when a blaze ignited in its engine room on the morning (local time) of Thursday.
Two Italian Coast Guard patrol boats and a tug carrying firefighters from the Vigili del Fuoco national fire and rescue service immediately sailed to the area to conduct firefighting and rescue operations. A privately owned vessel had also arrived on-scene to render assistance.
The yacht's crew had attempted to extinguish the fire themselves. They were later assisted by the firefighters on board the tug.
Sixteen of the yacht's occupants were evacuated to shore by one of the patrol boats while some of the crew and the responding firefighters worked to control the blaze and prevent it from spreading across beyond the engine room.
The fire was subsequently brought under control, allowing the yacht to be towed to Salerno.
No serious injuries have been reported.
