New £20m superyacht destroyed by fire weeks after delivery to owner

A brand-new £20m superyacht has been destroyed by fire in the Balearics weeks after it was delivered to its multimillionaire owner, the Italian car industry boss Paolo Scudieri.

The 43.7-metre Aria SF caught fire on Thursday afternoon while anchored at Cala Saona, on the west coast of Formentera, according to Salvamento Marítimo, the Spanish sea search and rescue agency.

Seven crew members and nine passengers on the ship were unharmed and evacuated to other boats nearby, but the Aria is thought to be unsalvageable. The cause and origin of the fire are as yet unknown. The yacht will be towed to Ibiza later on Friday.

The yacht, which had a gym and a pool and could accommodate up to 10 guests across five staterooms, was delivered to Scudieri late last month.

Scudieri’s suite on the main deck included a private lounge with a skylight, a terrace and direct access to an outdoor lounge via a private staircase.

The yacht, made by the Italian firm ISA, was due to make her debut at the Monaco yacht show in September.

Scudieri, the president of Adler-Hp Pelzer Group, an automotive parts supplier, is estimated to have built up a $500m fortune. He owns a Ferrari that he races in the Ferrari Challenge, a race series for Ferrari owners.

In May a superyacht estimated to be worth £6m sank while it was moored in a marina in Torbay, south-west England, after firefighters battled to extinguish a fire onboard.