key west yacht fire

• Entertainment
• Newsletters

WEATHER ALERT

3 advisories in effect for 6 regions in the area

Woman presumed dead after fire erupts on yacht in florida keys, 6 others escape, 2 of whom were hurt.

Janine Stanwood , Anchor/Reporter

Amanda Batchelor , Digital Executive Producer

Chris Gothner , Digital Journalist

STOCK ISLAND, Fla. – A 51-year-old St. Petersburg woman was presumed dead Wednesday after a fire erupted overnight on a yacht that was docked outside the Perry Hotel and Marina on Stock Island.

Authorities spent Wednesday searching for the woman following the blaze, which broke out just after midnight at the marina, located at 7101 Shrimp Road. They identified her Wednesday evening as Linda Vella.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Vella was on the 70-foot Viking yacht with her husband and son, aged 58 and 21 respectively, who escaped the fire and were taken to a hospital in Miami-Dade County.

Monroe County’s fire chief said the men were taken by ambulance to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Miami Burn Center.

MCSO spokesperson Adam Linhardt said the missing woman and her family were visiting the Florida Keys for lobster mini-season. Another family of four escaped the vessel unharmed, he said.

Monroe County Fire Rescue crews battled the fire overnight and MCSO deputies also responded to the scene. Officials confirmed that the yacht sank at the dock.

MCSO divers and TowBoatUS crews searched for the woman “while negotiating hazardous conditions where the vessel sank in the marina,” Linhardt said. He said the search continued into Wednesday evening.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by MCSO detectives and the state fire marshal’s office, Linhardt said.

Sign up to receive breaking news alerts from Local10.com.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that the patients were transported by ambulance, rather than by helicopter as authorities initially reported.

Copyright 2023 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.

About the Authors

Janine stanwood.

Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor. She is now a general assignment reporter. Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home, Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill.

Amanda Batchelor

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Recommended Videos

Missing woman presumed dead after yacht fire in the Florida Keys

The blaze that destroyed a 70-foot viking yacht is under investigation by the state fire marshal and the monroe county sheriff's office., by victoria jardine • published july 27, 2023 • updated on july 27, 2023 at 12:04 pm.

A woman is presumed dead following an early-morning fire on a yacht in the Florida Keys , officials said.

The fire erupted on the 70-foot yacht just after midnight Wednesday on Stock Island.

📺 24/7 South Florida news stream: Watch NBC6 free wherever you are

The missing woman has since been identified as 51-year-old Linda Vella, of St. Petersberg.

Vella's husband and son -- Michael Kenneth Robson, 58, and Anthony Joseph Vella, 21, were also on the yacht and were both airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center, where their conditions were unknown.

The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.

The family was visiting the Florida Keys for lobster mini-season, Monroe County Sheriff's Office officials said.

Another family of four was also on the vessel, but escaped uninjured.

The boat was fully engulfed when fire rescue crews arrived -- before they battled the blaze for approximately three hours, the sheriff's office added.

Boy apparently struck and killed by lightning while riding bike in Pembroke Pines

Kyle Okposo, who won Cup in final game with Panthers, announces retirement

The yacht was completely destroyed.

This article tagged under:

Body recovered amid search for woman missing after Stock Island yacht fire

KEY WEST, FLA. (WSVN) - Crews have recovered a body days after a yacht caught fire at a marina on Stock Island.

The body was pulled from the water and taken to a Key West marina on Friday.

According to authorities, it’s presumed to be the body of 51-year-old St. Petersburg resident Linda Vella, who had been missing since the blaze broke out early Wednesday morning.

Her husband and son, 58-year-old Michael Kenneth Robson and 21-year-old Anthony Joseph Vella, were airlifted to a hospital for medical treatment.

As of Friday, the cause of the fire remains under investigation by both the state Fire Marshal’s Office and detectives with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Team.

Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

• Police: 5 arrested in death of malnourished 7-year-old, found weighing 7 lbs
• 3 killed in multi-vehicle crash on EB I-595 near FLL
• Granddaughter of elderly couple killed inside their Fort Lauderdale home arrested, charged with first-degree murder
• Plantation community on edge after Ring video shows pack of coyotes attacking dog
• ‘Miami Vice’ star Olivia Brown talks about iconic show’s legacy ahead of local 40th anniversary celebrations

St. Pete woman presumed dead after yacht fire in Florida Keys: Investigators

St. pete woman presumed dead after boat fire.

A St. Petersburg woman is missing and believed to be dead after a boat she was on caught fire near Key West, critically injuring her son and husband. Justin Matthews reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A St. Petersburg woman is presumed dead after a fire destroyed a 70-foot yacht on Stock Island in the Florida Keys Wednesday morning. 

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office said they had been searching for 51-year-old Linda Vella, who is from St. Pete. Officials also said Vella's husband and son, Michael Robson and Anthony Vella, were flown to a Miami hospital after the fire. 

Courtesy: Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

Another family that was also onboard the yacht was able to escape uninjured, Monroe County deputies said. 

MCSO said the fire sparked at around 12:10 a.m. at a marina on Shrimp Road and destroyed the 70-foot Viking yacht. The boat was fully engulfed in flames when Monroe County Fire Rescue crews arrived. 

Fire officials said they battled the blaze for three hours. 

The fire is currently under investigation by the state Fire Marshal's Office along with MCSO's Major Crimes detectives, officials said. 

Body recovered from yacht fire in Florida Keys, believed to be missing woman

by Skyler Shepard

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office said 51-year-old Linda Vella from St. Petersburg was aboard a 70-foot yacht when it caught fire at a marina at 7101 Shrimp Road at 12:10 a.m. Wednesday. Vella’s husband and son — Michael Kenneth Robson, 58, and Anthony Joseph Vella, 21, — were airlifted to a hospital in Miami. Another family of four was also on the vessel but escaped uninjured. But the sheriff's office said she was never found. (MCSO)

STOCK ISLAND, Fla. (CBS12) — A woman’s body was removed from a burnt yacht Friday at a Stock Island marina, according to the sheriff's office.

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) said 51-year-old Linda Vella from St. Petersburg was aboard a 70-foot yacht when it caught fire at a marina at 7101 Shrimp Road at 12:10 a.m. Wednesday.

Vella’s husband and son — Michael Kenneth Robson, 58, and Anthony Joseph Vella, 21, — were airlifted to a hospital in Miami. Another family of four was also on the vessel but escaped uninjured. But the sheriff's office said she was never found.

See also: 'We're still answering': 211 Florida struggles with uptick in 988 crisis calls

Investigators believed Vella was unable to escape the fire and was still aboard the vessel.

The sheriff's office said the boat was lifted out of the water with great care before it was searched as it was structurally comprised due to the blaze.

Identification and autopsy results are pending with the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office. Foul play was not believed to be a factor as of Friday, the sheriff's office says.

• Arts & Entertainment Key West
• Bubbas Key West
• Key West Business
• Key West Dining
• Key West Marine Life
• Key West News
• Local Politics
• Lower Keys Community
• Lower Keys News
• Arts & Entertainment Marathon
• Best of Marathon
• Marathon Business
• Marathon Dining
• Marathon Marine Life
• Marathon News
• Middle Keys Community
• Middle Keys News
• Arts & Entertainment Upper Keys
• Islamorada News
• Key Largo News
• Upper Keys Business
• Upper Keys Community
• Upper Keys Dining
• Upper Keys Marine Life
• Upper Keys News
• Artist’s Corner
• Barstool Astrology
• Behind the Blonde
• Dive Report
• Hip to the Scene
• In Their Own Words
• Island Astrologer
• Island Currents
• Keys Disease
• Keys History
• Letter to the Editor
• Mile Markers
• Miles to Go
• Neighbor of the Week
• Paws in Paradise
• Raise a Glass
• Reef Report
• Seen Around Town
• Sports & More
• Sports Wrap
• Athlete of the Week
• Student of the Week
• The Weekly Editorial
• The Weekly Interview
• 20 Questions
• Classifieds
• Decision 24
• Hurricane Guides
• Home and Garden
• Florida Keys Table
• Holidays in the Keys
• Gigantic Nautical Market
• Fantasy Fest 2023 Program
• Marathon Seafood Festival Guide
• I Love Stock Island
• Print Editions
• Home Delivery
• Legal Notices

INTERNATIONALLY CELEBRATED DJ CARDI JOINS KEYS WEEKLY PODCAST

FLORIDA KEYS NONPROFITS SHARE KNOWLEDGE AT ANNUAL GATHERING

‘I SCREWED UP AND I’M SORRY’ — EDITOR APOLOGIZES FOR PHOTO…

TAKE A KID FISHING — AND CHANGE A LIFE

STAFF RAISES ARE THE HOT TOPIC IN MARATHON BUDGET TALKS

STELING WINS TWO FOR LADY CONCHS’ GOLF AS MARATHON NOTCHES TEAM…

TAKE ME HOME: ADORABLE FACES ARE WAITING AT THE FKSPCA

COUNTY COMMISSION APPROVES 86 EARLY EVACUATION UNITS FOR TAVERNIER PROJECT

MORADA WAY ARTS & CULTURAL DISTRICT CELEBRATES LOCALS’ MONTH WITH A…

KEY LARGO CHAMBER BRINGS TASTE THE KEYS FOOD TOUR

ISLAND ASTROLOGER: WHAT DO THE STARS HAVE IN STORE?

MARATHON BOXING STUDIO PREACHES MENTAL FORTITUDE & POWERFUL PUNCHES

• Marine Life

WOMAN DIES IN BOAT FIRE AT A STOCK ISLAND MARINA; 2 MEN TREATED FOR BURNS

A 70-foot Viking yacht from St. Petersburg, Florida caught fire just after midnight on July 26 while docked at The Oasis Marina, behind The Perry Hotel on Stock Island.

Two men, ages 58 and 21, escaped the fire, but one female victim, 51, did not make it out, according to Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay and Sgt. Tyler Blanton, who was on scene.

The two men were airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami with burns. 

As of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 26, the Sheriff’s Office divers were searching for the woman inside the vessel. The St. Petersburg, Florida family was in the Florida Keys for lobster mini-season. Another family of four also on the boat escaped uninjured, according to the sheriff’s office.

The boat was engulfed in flames when Monroe County Fire Rescue crews arrived shortly after midnight on Wednesday. They battled the blaze for approximately three hours.  

The Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and TowBoat U.S. crews are assisting in the search for the woman while negotiating hazardous conditions where the vessel sank in the marina.

The state Fire Marshal’s Office and Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Detectives are investigating. The cause of the fire is part of that investigation.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

‘i screwed up and i’m sorry’ — editor apologizes for photo mistake.

TAX COLLECTOR HOLDS SPECIAL SATURDAY HOURS FOR TEENS SEEKING TO GET A DRIVER’S LICENSE

FANTASY FEST’S WOULD-BE ROYALS RAISE MONEY FOR SPCA

RETIRED MARINES WALK ‘THE LONG ROAD’ FOR POWs

NAVY HOUSING AT SIGSBEE PLAGUED WITH PROBLEMS

THE FLORIDA KEYS HONOR THE FALLEN ON 9/11

AMERICAN DEBT AND DELINQUENCY ARE RISING; TAKE CONTROL WITH THESE TIPS

• Subscribe to our Blast
• Statement of Ownership

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get Keys Weekly delivered right to your inbox along with a daily dose of Keys News.

Success! Please check your email for confirmation.

• Capstone Group
• Italy Boating Forum
• Itama Refit
• Offshore Powerboat Racing
• PowerYacht Brokerage
• PowerYacht Facebook
• PowerYacht Instagram
• PowerYacht Linkedin
• PowerYacht Twitter
• PowerYacht YouTube
• UK Boating Forum
• USA Boating Forum
• Weather by Windfinder

PowerYachtBlog Views

• *A Genius at His Trade C. Raymond Hunt and His Remarkable Boats
• *A Great Challenge Norberto Ferretti The Number One Dreammaker of the Sea
• *Baglietto 1854 160 Years of Italian Boatbuilding
• *Carlo the legend, Riva the myth
• *Chris-Craft Boats
• *Commanding The Waterways: The Story of Sea Ray
• *Dellapasqua 50 anni di un piccolo grande cantiere
• *Don Aronow The King of Thunderboat Row
• *High Speed Small Craft
• *Huckins: The Living Legacy
• *Milestones In My Designs Renato Sonny Levi
• *Progettare il Futuro
• *Progettare Per Vincere Fabio Buzzi
• *Riva Aquarama
• *Success by Design: A Pictorial History of Sunseeker Through Design
• *Tales from Thunderboat Row
• *The Feadship Story
• *Unsinkable The History of Boston Whaler
• Azimut Yachts
• British Offshore Powerboat Marathons
• C W Burnard A Remarkable And Intriguing Career
• Cantieri di Baia
• Chasing the Cup My America's Cup Journey
• Fairey Marine Boats, Raceboats Rivals and Revivals
• Giovanni Zuccon
• Magnum Marine
• Mauro Micheli
• Mister Lucky - Walt Walters, boat designer, fabricator, racer
• Pacemakers from Port Hamble
• Sonny Levi Work of a Master
• Stile A Bordo Nei Modi Sanlorenzo
• The Legend of Bertram
• The Story of The America's Cup 1851-2021
• Tommaso Spadolini
• Tremlett A Man And His Boats

Contact Form

July 26, 2023.

• Princess Yacht Fire in Florida Kills One Woman

No comments:

Post a comment, genoa 2024 boat show preview.

Search PowerYachtBlog

Blog Archive

• ►  September (31)
• ►  August (62)
• ►  July (61)
• ►  June (53)
• ►  May (43)
• ►  April (48)
• ►  March (42)
• ►  February (40)
• ►  January (44)
• ►  December (41)
• ►  November (38)
• ►  October (53)
• ►  September (39)
• ►  August (59)
• Monthly News - July 2023
• Boat Ends on Breakwater in Loano
• Motor Cruiser Saved from Sinking Near Varazze
• Project: Nordhavn 112
• Sad News Cujo Sinks Near Beaulieu-sur-Mer
• New Model: Riva 82 Diva
• Cranchi Cruiser Partly Sinks Near Civitavecchia
• Project: Sanlorenzo SX100
• New Model: Rodman Spirit 42 Coupe
• Project: Mylius M62P
• New Model: Sialia 57
• Pershing Sinks in Castevi Island Formentera
• Yacht Fire in La Paz Mexico Kills One Person, Inju...
• Flybridge Cruiser Goes Down in Boston Harbor
• Project: Lyman-Morse Monhegan 42
• Sport Cruiser Saved from Sinking in Procida
• New Launch: Benetti 67m FB278
• Sport Cruiser Catches Fire in Coconut Grove Marina...
• Sea Ray Ends Beached in Lago Maggiore
• Two People Saved from Baja Powerboat Fire in Trave...
• Project: Feadship 71.75m Sakura Hull. 827
• New Launch: Heesen 67m YN 20067
• New Launch: Steeler 61S Performance
• One Person Saved from Burning Sportfish in Delawar...
• One Man Killed as Sport Cruiser Collides Into Traw...
• Project: Say Yachts 52
• New Model: Horizon V74
• Super Yacht Kaos Vandalized in Ibiza
• Overmarine Mangusta New Web Site
• Palmer Johnson Super Yacht Scuttled as Artificial ...
• Stolen and Beached in Oregon
• Princess Flybridge Goes Aground Then Sinks Under Tow
• Project: Burger 180 Motor Yacht
• New Model: Wally Why150
• Azimut Yacht Saved from Sinking Near Livorno
• Project: Michael Rybovich 70 Sportfisherman Hull#9
• New Model: Italyure 35
• Pursuit Hits Stuart Sand Bar
• Project: Sunreef 44 Ultima
• Flybridge Cruiser Sinks in Manfredonia
• New Model: Vicem 65 Classic Flybridge
• Eight meter Sport Cruiser Burns in Rocchette Tuscany
• Colombo New Web Site
• Flybridge Cruiser Goes Ablaze in Gozo Marina
• Rybovich Yacht Collision South to Martha's Vineyar...
• Sea Ray Sport Cruiser Ends Aground in Lake Ozarks
• One Man Injured in Boat Fire at Edgar Evins Marina
• Project: Astondoa AX8
• New Launch: Rossinavi 66m FR044
• Project: Whitehaven 6000 Sunbridge
• New Model: Sealine C335
• Project: Bluegame BGM75
• New Launch: Winter Custom Yachts 38 Walk Around W-35
• Princess Sports Cruiser Aground in Krk Island
• Sea Ray Sport Cruiser Lost to Fire Near Puerto Pro...
• Project: Tecnomar Evo 130
• Swedish Short Cut
• ►  June (51)
• ►  May (42)
• ►  April (38)
• ►  March (39)
• ►  February (34)
• ►  January (34)
• ►  December (30)
• ►  November (39)
• ►  October (39)
• ►  September (43)
• ►  August (49)
• ►  July (62)
• ►  June (41)
• ►  May (28)
• ►  April (21)
• ►  March (34)
• ►  February (32)
• ►  December (32)
• ►  November (32)
• ►  October (34)
• ►  September (38)
• ►  August (44)
• ►  July (39)
• ►  June (23)
• ►  May (26)
• ►  April (23)
• ►  March (18)
• ►  February (22)
• ►  January (19)
• ►  December (28)
• ►  November (30)
• ►  October (32)
• ►  September (37)
• ►  August (37)
• ►  July (35)
• ►  June (26)
• ►  May (21)
• ►  April (19)
• ►  March (37)
• ►  February (30)
• ►  January (31)
• ►  September (36)
• ►  July (41)
• ►  June (29)
• ►  May (31)
• ►  April (29)
• ►  March (31)
• ►  February (28)
• ►  January (28)
• ►  December (26)
• ►  November (29)
• ►  October (33)
• ►  September (29)
• ►  August (23)
• ►  July (31)
• ►  June (30)
• ►  May (29)
• ►  March (29)
• ►  December (27)
• ►  November (46)
• ►  October (50)
• ►  September (26)
• ►  August (22)
• ►  July (29)
• ►  June (27)
• ►  April (26)
• ►  March (25)
• ►  February (24)
• ►  January (23)
• ►  November (43)
• ►  October (51)
• ►  September (42)
• ►  August (21)
• ►  July (19)
• ►  June (17)
• ►  May (19)
• ►  April (18)
• ►  March (19)
• ►  February (18)
• ►  January (18)
• ►  December (17)
• ►  November (17)
• ►  October (26)
• ►  August (20)
• ►  July (18)
• ►  June (15)
• ►  May (18)
• ►  April (17)
• ►  March (17)
• ►  February (17)
• ►  December (20)
• ►  November (18)
• ►  October (35)
• ►  August (33)
• ►  July (26)
• ►  June (16)
• ►  May (17)
• ►  February (27)
• ►  January (30)
• ►  August (31)
• ►  April (27)
• ►  February (26)
• ►  January (27)
• ►  October (41)
• ►  August (35)
• ►  April (28)
• ►  March (28)
• ►  February (31)
• ►  December (35)
• ►  October (63)
• ►  September (52)
• ►  August (39)
• ►  July (53)
• ►  June (36)
• ►  May (36)
• ►  April (31)
• ►  February (29)
• ►  December (42)
• ►  November (51)
• ►  October (65)
• ►  September (56)
• ►  August (43)
• ►  June (33)
• ►  May (46)
• ►  April (44)
• ►  March (54)
• ►  February (41)
• ►  January (40)
• ►  December (43)
• ►  November (62)
• ►  September (51)
• ►  August (38)
• ►  July (48)
• ►  June (40)
• ►  May (41)
• ►  April (36)
• ►  March (43)
• ►  February (39)
• ►  January (38)
• ►  September (28)
• ►  March (20)
• ►  February (15)
• ►  December (23)
• ►  November (28)
• ►  October (28)
• ►  September (25)
• ►  August (19)
• ►  July (25)
• ►  May (11)
• ►  April (11)
• ►  March (8)
• Americas Cup (23)
• best of the year (34)
• blogger (164)
• Boat Collision (100)
• Boat Damage (166)
• Boat Fire (113)
• Boat Review (35)
• Boat Salvage (80)
• Boat Show (13)
• Boat Sinking (103)
• Boat Wreck (103)
• Class 1 (96)
• Classics (2)
• Consult (1)
• Engine (78)
• Exclusive (783)
• Explorer Cruiser (113)
• Explorer Yacht (295)
• Fatality (32)
• Improve-it (274)
• INBUILD (30)
• Interview (2)
• Maxi Rib (23)
• Motor Cruiser (191)
• Motor Yacht (576)
• New Launch (147)
• New Model (2339)
• Out-News (639)
• People (59)
• Power Catamaran (73)
• Powerboat Endurance (91)
• Production History (118)
• Project (2180)
• Projects (148)
• Propulsion (31)
• Rib Cruiser (35)
• SPECIAL (11)
• Sport Cruiser (938)
• Sport Yacht (738)
• Sportfish Cruiser (143)
• Sportfish Yacht (207)
• Super Catamaran (7)
• Super Sport Yacht (232)
• Super Sportfish (54)
• Super Yacht (1135)
• Traditional Cruiser (250)
• Traditional Yacht (174)
• XL Marine (9)
• Yacht Builder Story (275)
• Yacht Collision (99)
• Yacht Damage (184)
• Yacht Fire (132)
• Yacht Salvage (62)
• Yacht Sinking (103)
• Yacht Wreck (109)

Top Boat Shows

• Dusseldorf Germany - 20 to 28 January
• Miami USA - 14 to 18 February
• Dubai UAE - 28 Feb to 3 March
• Venice Italy - 29 May to 2 June
• Sydney Australia - 1 to 4 August
• Cannes France - 10 to 15 September
• Southampton UK - 13 to 22 September
• Genova Italy - 19 to 24 September
• Barcellona Spain - 11 to 15 October
• Lauderdale USA - 25 to 29 October

Top Classic Boats

• Alfarmarine Bronte, 1975 - 1085
• Baglietto 20 M, 1969 - 1977
• Bertram 31, 1961 - 1986
• Chris Craft 31, 1966 - 1972
• Coronet 21 Daycruiser, 1965 - 1977
• Grand Banks 42 Classic, 1965 - 2004
• Hatteras 53 Motor Yacht, 1969 - 1988
• Italcraft Sarima, 1965 - 1975
• Itama 38, 1979 - 2001
• Magnum 53, 1977 - 1995
• Pershing 54, 1995 - 2004
• Riva Aquarama, 1962 - 1996
• Sunseeker 37 Tomahawk, 1987 - 1992

Subscribe To PowerYacht

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

St. Pete Woman Presumed Dead After Florida Keys Yacht Fire

August 4, 2023 by Mike Sunnucks

A St. Pete woman “presumed dead” after an early morning fire on a 70-foot yacht in the Florida Keys.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office presumes Linda Vella, 51, of St. Pete, dead in the yacht fire that started after midnight on July 26 on Stock Island in Key West.

Investigators with the state’s Fire Marshal Office and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office are still determining the cause of fire on the Viking yacht at the 7101 Shrimp Road marina.

Police divers will continue searching for Vella’s body.

“Vella’s husband and son — Michael Kenneth Robson, 58, and Anthony Joseph Vella, 21, both of St. Petersburg — were airlifted to a hospital in Miami,” Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on the fire.

Another family of four escaped uninjured from the vessel, according to the statement.

When Monroe County Fire Rescue crews arrived, flames fully engulfed the boat.

“They battled the blaze for approximately three hours,” Monroe County Fire Rescue said.

How We Cover Crime

When the current owners purchased  The Gabber Newspaper  in 2020, they made many changes. In October 2020, they changed policies on how  The Gabber Newspaper  handles crime reporting. Take a look at  why we made that change .

by Mike Sunnucks

Support the Gabber

Team Gabber brought back the print version of the newspaper, and we've redesigned our website to make it easier for you to get the news. We're not out of the woods yet, and every little bit helps pay our reporters, printer, and other expenses. Support local news and families — donate now to keep The Gabber Newspaper serving the community it loves!

Please support local news and The Gabber Newspaper!

• Subscriptions

Grab a Seat at the Captain’s Table

Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.

Join our crew and become one of the 109,201 members that receive our newsletter.

The wreckage of the 100-foot yacht, La Dolce Vita, sinks near Marquesas, Florida, March 17, 2021. The Coast Guard is overseeing diesel spill clean-up operations after the yacht caught fire. (Coast Guard Photo)

Electrical Fire Destroyed Luxury Yacht Near Key West, NTSB Says

Share this article.

The fire that destroyed a luxury yacht near Key West in March 2021 likely started from an electric source within the sound enclosure for the vessel’s starboard generators, the National Transportation Safety Board has determined. However, due to the extent of the fire damage, investigators were unable to conclusively determine the source of the fire.

Marine Investigation Report 22/16 , published Thursday, details the NTSB’s investigation into the March 16, 2021, engine room fire aboard the MY La Dolce Vita while anchored near Marquesas Keys in the Gulf of Mexico.

The crew unsuccessfully attempted to extinguish the fire and abandoned along with two passengers using the vessel’s tender boat. They were then picked by two U.S. Coast Guard boats without injury. The fire, however, in the total loss of the $3.9 million yacht which sank a day later. An unknown quantity of diesel fuel oil was released, causing a small sheen.

The Cayman Islands-flagged La Dolce Vita was anchored with the crew preparing for the passengers to go snorkeling when the fire began. The captain and mate described the odor of the smoke to NTSB investigators as like burning plastic and like the insulation from wires burning.

Combined with the captain and mate’s description of where the smoke and flames emanated, investigators said evidence suggests the fire may have originated in the electric generator end of the starboard genset enclosure.

The vessel was chartered for hire four to six times a year, including at the time of the casualty. Under the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry, a vessel certified for commercial use of La Dolce Vita size would have been required to meet the UK Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY2) requirements for commercial use yachts. But investigators found the La Dolce Vita did not meet LY2 requirements, including having a way to remotely stop the engine room’s intake and exhaust fans and the capability to close off natural ventilation to the space.

The NTSB determined the probable cause of the engine room fire aboard the La Dolce Vita was an undetermined electrical source within the sound enclosure for the starboard generator. Contributing to the severity of the fire and total loss of the vessel was the inability to secure ventilation to the engine room, which reduced the effectiveness of the yacht’s fire extinguishing system and allowed the fire to spread beyond the engine room.

“Fixed fire-extinguishing systems in machinery and other hazardous spaces require a minimum concentration of extinguishing agent to either halt the chemical reaction producing the fire, displace the oxygen feeding the fire, or effect a combination of both,” the report said. “To ensure the effectiveness of the system and prevent the reintroduction of oxygen to the space, vessel designers and owners should ensure that the ventilation, both natural and forced draft, can be completely and remotely secured to all fire-protected spaces, and that all machinery within these same fire-protected spaces can be remotely stopped from outside the space where the machinery is situated.”

Marine Investigation Report 22/16 is available on the NTSB website .

Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!

Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.

Be the First to Know

Join the 109,201 members that receive our newsletter.

Have a news tip? Let us know.

Stay Ahead with Our Weekly ‘Dispatch’ Email

Dive into a sea of curated content with our weekly ‘Dispatch’ email. Your personal maritime briefing awaits!

Related Articles

U.S. Sues DALI Shipowner and Manager for $100 Million Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse

The U.S. Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit on Wednesday against the owner and operator of the containership that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, seeking more than...

SOUNION Tanker Successfully Towed to Safety After Houthi Attack in Red Sea

The Greek-registered oil tanker MT SOUNION has been successfully towed to a safe area in the Red Sea, as part of a complex salvage operation under the protection of the...

Oil Tanker Breakaway and Grounding Exposes Critical Gaps in Emergency Management

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation into the February 2022 grounding of an oil tanker in the Brisbane River has revealed significant shortcomings in emergency and risk management procedures....

Why Join the gCaptain Club?

Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.

OUT AT SEA?

We’ve got you covered with trusted maritime and offshore news from wherever you are.

JOIN OUR CREW

Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 109,201 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.

Your Gateway to the Maritime World!

Join our crew.

Privacy Overview

Watch CBS News

Crews Put Out Catamaran Fire In Key West

May 30, 2021 / 10:37 AM EDT / CBS Miami

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Monroe County Fire Rescue responded to a burning catamaran on Stock Island in Key West on Saturday.

They were able to contain the fire to one boat and put it out within 30 minutes.

Everyone on board was able to get off the boat safely.

CBS4 was told the U.S. Coast Guard helped contain any possible spills.

The cause of the fire wasn't known.

Featured Local Savings

More from cbs news.

Dad of 14 fatally shot in Florida City trying to stop fight

Miami seeks public comment on location of new trash incinerator

Teen killed in apparent lightning strike in Pembroke Pines, fire rescue says

Tenants displaced after apartment fire find new housing