Photo: Carlos Torres for Diario de Ibiza/Yacht Charter Fleet (Composite)
In what could be the strangest and most unlikely one-year anniversary, another luxury yacht burst into flames and sunk to the bottom of the sea in almost exactly the same spot, off the coast of the Spanish island Formentera.
Irmao, a popular charter yacht reportedly owned by professional poker player Diego Gómez González, aka "The Lion," caught on fire last Saturday, August 12, and sunk several hours later after repeated attempts by the firefighters to put out the flames. The fire started at the stern of the vessel at around 5.30 o'clock in the afternoon when Irmao was anchored in Cavall d'en Borràs in front of the famous restaurant El Tiburon.
When first responders arrived on the scene, most of the 17 people onboard, 12 guests and five crew members, had jumped into the water as the fire spread throughout the vessel. Only one crew member required medical assistance for mild burns and is believed to have since been discarded.
The Spanish coast guard deployed the rescue vessel Acrux, towing the burning Irmao farther out to sea and isolating it from other vessels. The smoke column was visible all the way from neighboring island Ibiza.
At around 9 o'clock in the evening, after being consumed by fire, the yacht went under. On Sunday morning, August 13, first responders conducted a summary investigation of the wreckage site and determined there was no risk of pollution in the area.
It is now the responsibility of the owner to recover the wreck, refloat it, and tow it back to land. Assuming there is anything left worth restoring, a restoration of Irmao might start.
Delivered in 1995 by Spanish shipyard Astondoa, Irmao featured interior and exterior design by Nuvolari Lenard and offered accommodation for 12 guests across seven cabins and separate quarters for five crew. For a boat of its size, the 27-meter (88.5-foot) Irmao offered plenty of luxury amenities and solid performance, thanks to its planing hull and light weight, thanks to the GPR hull and superstructure.
Amenities included a Jacuzzi on the aft deck, a matching tender, and a variety of water toys ranging from waterskis to paddleboards and snorkeling equipment. Power came from twin Diesel engines that took it to a top speed of 18 knots (20.7 mph/33.3 kph) and a cruising speed of 14 knots (16.2 mph/26 kph).
Irmao had last been refitted in 2020 and was asking €45,000 (approximately $49,400) per week for charter, promising tourists an unforgettable experience onboard. Its last outing was certainly unforgettable, though not for the kind of reason anyone would want to pay money for.
An investigation is now underway to determine the causes of the fire. As of the time of press, it's not known whether supposed owner González was onboard when the blaze started.
Precisely one year ago, the brand-new ISA Yacht project Aria SF caught on fire while anchored near Ibiza. After repeated attempts, firefighters decided to let the fire burn itself out before towing the hull to safety. Aria SF’s charred remains sunk later.
When first responders arrived on the scene, most of the 17 people onboard, 12 guests and five crew members, had jumped into the water as the fire spread throughout the vessel. Only one crew member required medical assistance for mild burns and is believed to have since been discarded.
The Spanish coast guard deployed the rescue vessel Acrux, towing the burning Irmao farther out to sea and isolating it from other vessels. The smoke column was visible all the way from neighboring island Ibiza.
At around 9 o'clock in the evening, after being consumed by fire, the yacht went under. On Sunday morning, August 13, first responders conducted a summary investigation of the wreckage site and determined there was no risk of pollution in the area.
It is now the responsibility of the owner to recover the wreck, refloat it, and tow it back to land. Assuming there is anything left worth restoring, a restoration of Irmao might start.
Delivered in 1995 by Spanish shipyard Astondoa, Irmao featured interior and exterior design by Nuvolari Lenard and offered accommodation for 12 guests across seven cabins and separate quarters for five crew. For a boat of its size, the 27-meter (88.5-foot) Irmao offered plenty of luxury amenities and solid performance, thanks to its planing hull and light weight, thanks to the GPR hull and superstructure.
Amenities included a Jacuzzi on the aft deck, a matching tender, and a variety of water toys ranging from waterskis to paddleboards and snorkeling equipment. Power came from twin Diesel engines that took it to a top speed of 18 knots (20.7 mph/33.3 kph) and a cruising speed of 14 knots (16.2 mph/26 kph).
Irmao had last been refitted in 2020 and was asking €45,000 (approximately $49,400) per week for charter, promising tourists an unforgettable experience onboard. Its last outing was certainly unforgettable, though not for the kind of reason anyone would want to pay money for.
An investigation is now underway to determine the causes of the fire. As of the time of press, it's not known whether supposed owner González was onboard when the blaze started.
Precisely one year ago, the brand-new ISA Yacht project Aria SF caught on fire while anchored near Ibiza. After repeated attempts, firefighters decided to let the fire burn itself out before towing the hull to safety. Aria SF’s charred remains sunk later.
Yacht burns down near #Formentera coast pic.twitter.com/qTEU2AB4nM
— Steven (@StevenRenes1) August 12, 2023
Ayer: Incendio en motora Irmao playa #Formentera
— SALVAMENTO MARÍTIMO (@salvamentogob) August 13, 2023
Embarcaciones particulares rescatan las 17 personas a bordo.
Nuestro centro #Palma moviliza salvamar Acrux que remolca motora incendiada; pero se hunde.
Cómo prevenir/evitar incendio.
Qué Hacer/No Hacer https://t.co/kCp7bNQyJb pic.twitter.com/IsUcmD9yxW
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