Luxury Yacht Worth $940k Sinks Just 15 Minutes Into Its First Voyage: Who Owns the Dolce Vento?

The Dolce Vento, a luxury yacht valued at a staggering $940,000 (£699909.90), met a dramatic end just 15 minutes into its maiden journey. Its sudden sinking has left many wondering about its owner and the circumstances of the incident.

The luxury yacht sank into the waters off the coast of Turkey, a mere 15 minutes into its first trip, as frightened passengers and crew members leapt into the sea.

A Tragic Maiden Voyage

Dramatic footage, captured by an onlooker, shows the vessel, called Dolce Vento, smoothly entering the waters off the coast of Turkey's Zonguldak province on Tuesday before tilting to one side and gradually submerging.

The roughly 85-foot vessel was making its first appearance on the water after being handed over to its owner in Istanbul.

The captain and two crew members escaped unharmed, leaping into the water and safely reaching the shore. Following the incident, the Coast Guard and local port teams arrived to create a secure zone around the stricken vessel.

Who Owns the Dolce Vento?

The identity of the owner of Dolce Vento remains undisclosed. While some reports from the Superyacht Times suggest the owner's name is available through a paid subscription service, publicly available information indicates only that the vessel was delivered to its owner from Istanbul.

During the incident, the owner was aboard the yacht along with the captain and two crew members, all of whom escaped unharmed.

Shipyard officials stated that an investigation into the cause of the sinking was underway, and that technical examinations of the yacht would be performed to figure out what went wrong.

The incident happened at roughly 2:30 p.m. local time. According to local reports, the Dolce Vento had a problem with its stability and started taking on water about 15 minutes after it was launched, eventually sinking to a depth of seven metres.

A Superyacht Times report stated that the Dolce Vento was built at Medyılmaz Shipyard, with construction starting in 2024. The 160 GT motor yacht, which has a steel hull and an aluminium superstructure, was previously known as NB65 during its construction.

What's Next for the Dolce Vento?

The sinking of the Dolce Vento remains a mystery as investigations continue. While the yacht's hull is intact, its complete submersion raises many questions about what caused it to take on water so quickly.

The incident serves as a stark reminder that even the most advanced and valuable vessels are not immune to the unforeseen dangers of the sea. For now, the focus is on a full technical inspection of the yacht to understand the precise cause of its failure.

The owner and crew are fortunate to have escaped unharmed. As the maritime community watches on, the Dolce Vento's brief and ill-fated voyage will likely be remembered as a cautionary tale of a maiden voyage gone wrong.

The next step is a complex salvage operation to bring the luxury yacht back to the surface. It's a painstaking process, but a necessary one to not only reclaim the vessel but also to uncover the full story of its dramatic sinking.