A luxury yacht worth nearly a million dollars vanished beneath the waves off the coast of Turkey — just 15 minutes after setting sail for the first time.
In jaw-dropping footage captured by bystanders, the 85-foot vessel — named Dolce Vento — is seen smoothly cruising off the northern Turkish coast before dramatically tipping and slowly descending into the sea, according to the New York Post.
The luxury yacht, reportedly valued at $940,000, had just been delivered to its owner from Istanbul and was making its maiden voyage in the Eregli district of Zonguldak.
And then, disaster.
The ship tilted ominously before taking on water. On board were the yacht’s new owner, the captain, and two crew members — all of whom were forced to abandon ship and leap into the water as the vessel began to sink. Incredibly, all four managed to swim to safety, reaching the shoreline without any injuries.
Authorities moved fast. “The Coast Guard and port teams responded to set up a security perimeter around the flailing watercraft,” local officials said, as crews rushed to secure the area and prevent any further maritime risk.
While no injuries were reported, the stunning collapse of such a costly vessel is raising serious questions. “Officials at the shipyard said the cause of the sinking was under investigation, and that technical inspections of the yacht will be carried out to determine what happened.” The incident has fueled speculation over possible construction flaws or launch miscalculations.
The shocking turn of events also comes just weeks after another close call at sea when, last month, a fishing boat with 11 passengers on board began sinking off Pier 1 in Sheepshead Bay at night, requiring an NYPD Harbor Unit rescue team to whisk those on board to safety.
With two high-profile maritime accidents in less than a month, attention is now turning to safety protocols — and whether shipbuilders are cutting corners. For Dolce Vento, what was meant to be a moment of celebration turned into a million-dollar nightmare.
