A fire has destroyed the megayacht “Pesa” in the port of Valencia, Spain. The m/y, a 26.7 metre long SX88 launched in 2020 by Sanlorenzo caught fire on Friday 8 April while it was docked in the North Marina in the port of Valencia.

According to what the Port Authority told the local media, the fuel tanks of the megayacht, with a 9,300 litre capacity, were not involved in the fire and the flames did not injure anyone or spread to other vessels.

The fire occurred in two phases, as also shared by a number of witnesses who ran to the pier, and as can be seen in the video. At first the flames were extinguished by the fire fighters who intervened as soon as they were called. The video opens with the flames nearly fully extinguished and a small cloud of smoke.

When the fire seemed to be under control, however, an explosion on board ignited the flames once again and three teams of fire fighters worked for 12 hours to put out the fire. While the fire fighters were working, a dozen vessels that were docked nearby were moved, and technicians set up a pollution containment barrier in the water.

According to the fire fighters, the explosion and fire could have been caused by damage to the lithium batteries, causing the rapid spread of heat and fire along the hull of the yacht, which then sank. The stern is resting on the sea floor of the port and authorities are working to recover the fuel tank, even though at the moment there seems to be no hydrocarbon pollution.

The m/y Pesa was built in 2020 in Sanlorenzo’s Ameglia shipyard. Its beam was 7.2 metres the maximum draught was 1.7 metres with a tonnage of 115 tonnes. The exterior design was curated by Officina Italiana Design, while the interiors were by Lissoni Associati. It could carry up to 8 people in 4 cabins, with 3 crew members. Its maximum speed was 20 knots.

Video: Noel Faulkner / Facebook

Photos: Martine Schroeter / Facebook