A luxury yacht moored at Hamilton Island Marina was ablaze for more than seven hours on Monday, October 24.
The 25-metre Sunseeker 82 yacht began billowing smoke and flames just before 11am taking emergency services until after 6pm that night to quell them, when the vessel began to finally sink.
No persons were onboard when the fire began, and the cause is now under investigation.
Paramedics remained at the scene due to reports that members of the small island community were heading to the marina to look at the blaze before suffering from smoke inhalation.
Whitsunday Volunteer Marine Rescue President Mal Priday said resident firefighters on Hamilton Island fought the blaze all day and his vessels were tasked with transporting relief Queensland Fire Service crews to the island from Airlie Beach.
“We arrived there about half-past five and it had been burning already for seven hours – a large amount of smoke could be seen well before we arrived at Hamilton Island,” Mr Priday said.
“After seven hours there were still flames coming out; some of the flames were three to five metres high.”
Mr Priday said, although investigations into the cause were still pending, firefighters were of the belief that the fire had started in the ship’s bow.
“When we arrived, the boat had sunk at the back. That was part of the problem for the firefighters: they couldn’t get at it because of the small portholes and windows, so they just decided to monitor it overnight.”
Volunteer Marine Rescue left the scene at roughly 8:00pm and the bow was still out of the water at an angle, leaning to the starboard, smoking and alight.
Neighbouring boats in the marina reported damage from smoke and heat, mostly those downwind of the 30 knot conditions.
A 25-metre Sunseeker 82 – a luxury yacht – caught fire in Hamilton Island Marina on Monday morning and blazed into the night
