Massive fire guts yacht in Mallorca

FIREFIGHTERS were called to Puerto Portals when a 23- metre yacht, the Galbi, caught fire.

The yacht was out of the water at the time for a refit when the fire suddenly started in the bow of the yacht but luckily the captain was onboard and called for immediate assistance from the port authorities.

The fire was too strong to be handled by local employees armed with fire extinguishers and they had to wait for fire appliances from Calvia and Llucmajor to arrive on the scene.

It appears that the port was closed whilst the firefighters battled with what was almost a conflagration and although the main structure of the vessel was saved, the interior, especially in the bow was badly damaged.

Four people had difficulty in breathing following inhalation of smoke.

Investigations are ongoing to try to identify the cause of the fire although initial assumptions are that it was started due to an electrical fault.

Certainly, the cost of repairing the Galbi now will be well in excess of the initial refitting estimate.