A 41 metre (135 feet) long superyacht caught fire in St Tropez on Thursday, as emergency services feared it would sink in the French port filling up with the rich and famous for the summer.
Firefighters put up an anti-pollution barrier around the Sea Lady II, a charter yacht that costs more than $90,000 a week to hire.
Two hours after the fire started, firefighters said they were struggling to get on board, and images on social media showed thick black smoke around the port.
"Surrounding yachts were quickly moved away and we have put up anti-pollution barriers," a fire service spokesperson told AFP. The official added that it was "likely" that the boat would sink in the port.
Built in 1986 and having undergone a last refit in 2024, the yacht has eight crew and can accommodate 10 passengers. The five cabins each have a private bathroom, according to the website of Charterlink, one of the agencies offering it for charter.
Superyachts from around the world are starting to converge on St Tropez and neighbouring ports in France and Italy for the summer holiday season, with hundreds of millions worth of dollars of vessels on show along the Mediterranean coast.
Ce jeudi soir, un incendie s'est déclaré sur un superyacht de 41 mètres dans le port de Saint-Tropez
— Var-matin (@Var_Matin) July 10, 2025
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