A nearly \$1 million yacht sank off the coast of Turkey just 15 minutes into its maiden voyage, forcing passengers and crew to jump overboard in panic.
Dramatic amateur footage captures the Dolce Vento gliding into the water near Zonguldak in northern Turkey’s Ereğli district on Tuesday, before tipping to one side and gradually sinking.
Within minutes, the $940,000 yacht began to rock dangerously in the water.
This was the first launch of the roughly 85-foot, $940,000 yacht after being delivered to its owner from Istanbul.
The owner, captain, and two crew members jumped overboard and swam safely to shore, while the coast guard and port authorities established a security perimeter around the sinking yacht.
Passengers and crew, including the yacht’s owner, clung to its side before jumping into the water and swimming to safety onshore.
Shipyard officials stated that the cause of the sinking is under investigation, and technical inspections will be conducted to determine what went wrong.
Last month, a fishing boat carrying 11 passengers started sinking off Pier 1 in Sheepshead Bay at night, prompting an NYPD Harbor Unit rescue team to safely evacuate everyone on board.
