THIS is the dramatic moment a £20million superyacht erupted into flames – just one month after its millionaire owner bought it.
An unstoppable inferno engulfed the 150ft vessel off the coast of Formentera on Thursday afternoon, destroying the luxury liner.
Plumes of black smoke billowed over the Mediterranean as the fire tore through the extravagant superyacht in front of horrified locals.
Skippers in Cala Saona, on the west coast of the idyllic island, watched on helplessly as the passengers desperately disembarked the boat.
Footage of the fiery incident shows the majority of the exorbitant Aria SF overrun with flames as it smoulders under the Spanish sun.
The megabucks yacht only left the shipyard last month after being sold in 2019 to wealthy Italian entrepreneur Paulo Scudieri.
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Just weeks after it was delivered to its new owner, it has now been decimated by the scorching flames.
Spanish coastguards frantically sent two rescue boats to the area as the nine passengers and seven crew on board abandoned ship.
They issued a Mayday call at around 5pm local time after being unable to put out the ferocious fire.
Those on board the £20million vessel are all understood to have safely evacuated the superyacht, with no injuries reported.
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Thick black smoke from the inferno could be seen from as far away as the neighbouring island of Ibiza.
The cause of the fire currently remains unknown but an investigation into the cause of the blaze is underway.
The incident is sure to sting the owner, uber-rich businessman Scudieri, who had hardly hit the water in his new toy before it was destroyed.
The 61-year-old is the chairman of car interior components producer Gruppo Addler, which was founded by his father Achille in 1956.
His net worth is said to be around a staggering £410million.
The father-of-four, who lives in Naples, is Monaco’s Ambassador for Tourism and the founder of a group that owns 19 restaurants in Italy.
It was not immediately clear if he was on board the burning boat, although specialised yachting websites say the vessel is not currently available for charter.
The superyacht that went up in flames, which boasted a swimming pool, five bedrooms and a gym, was due to make its official debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival later this year.
It is thought to have been towed to Ibiza by a Coastguard vessel after the flames were doused.
A spokesman for the Spanish Coastguard Service, speaking after the fire was nearly out late on Thursday, confirmed: "The seven crew members and nine passengers are all safe.
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"They were evacuated onto a police boat. The fire is now almost out.
"Two Coastguard vessels, Salvamar Acrux and Guardamar Concepcion Arenal, were mobilised by our co-ordination centre in Palma in Majorca after the alarm was raised around 5pm on Thursday."
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