Luxury yacht worth $900,000 sinks minutes after launch - video of owner forced to swim to shore goes viral A luxury yacht worth close to $1 million sank just minutes into its first voyage off the coast of northern Turkey, forcing its owner and crew to leap into the sea to escape and save themselves.
The 24 to 30-meter vessel, named Dolce Vento, was recently completed at the Med Yilmaz Shipyard after five months of construction. Shipped from Istanbul to the coastal district of Ereğli in Zonguldak province, the yacht was intended for a victorious debut on Tuesday. Instead, the launch concluded in disaster within a quarter of an hour by sinking.
Amateur footage captured the striking incident: the sleek white yacht glided into the Black Sea before listing sideways and started to sink. At one point, the owner was attempting to balance on the edge of the vessel as it tilted precariously. Moments later, he jumped into the water and swam hurriedly toward shore.
Crew Escapes
Alongside the owner, the yacht’s captain and two crew members were also compelled to abandon ship and plunged into the water. All four managed and swam to the coastline, escaping without sustaining any injuries. The incident happened about 200 meters offshore, close enough for bystanders to see the entire scene unfold in disbelief.
Within minutes, the Turkish Coast Guard and port authorities reached the scene. Officials set up a security perimeter around the sinking vessel while divers deployed the wreck, which had settled at an estimated depth of roughly seven meters.
What Went Wrong?
The exact reason for the sinking remains unclear, though experts suggest potential stability problems. In particular, miscalculations in metacentric height a critical measurement that estimates how a ship balances and rights itself are often mentioned as important elements in sudden capsizing incidents. Officials have launched a formal investigation that is now underway to evaluate whether design flaws, weight distribution errors, or other technical faults were responsible.
Earlier Yacht Mishap
This latest sinking disaster incident follows another high-profile yacht accident earlier in the year. On New Year’s Day, a vessel named Amore Mio struck rocks off the coast of Mexico while carrying tourists celebrating the holiday. Footage from that incident showed the yacht swaying dangerously as panicked passengers screamed and scrambled to jump overboard to escape. Fifteen people fell into the water but were rescued by nearby divers.
