Eight individuals aboard a sailboat engulfed in flames were rescued by the Coast Guard off Punta Campanella, a protected marine area between the Sorrento and Amalfi coasts. The Naples Port Authority operations center received a distress call in the morning reporting a 14-meter Croatian-flagged sailboat experiencing engine failure and an onboard fire. A patrol boat from Capri was immediately dispatched.
Upon reaching the vessel, the occupants informed the Coast Guard personnel they had extinguished the fire themselves and intended to proceed to Sorrento. However, the fire erupted again shortly thereafter. The prompt intervention of the patrol boat, which had remained nearby in support, prevented a worse outcome. All eight people were safely evacuated and subsequently disembarked in Sorrento.
Coast Guard crew members then began firefighting operations, significantly hampered by high temperatures and strong winds. The resulting smoke plume was visible from the coast for an extended period. Three commercial vessels, one yacht, and a Finance Police unit were also diverted to the scene to assist in extinguishing the blaze as quickly as possible.
The situation remains under surveillance by naval units from the Castellammare di Stabia Port Authority to prevent potential pollution in this environmentally sensitive area.