Onlooker captures stunning video of raging fire on superyacht — here's what happened

Residents and vacationers in Port de Saint-Tropez, France, got an unexpected spectacle when a superyacht burst into flames in July.

The yacht, called the Sea Lady II, clocks in at 41.25 metres — roughly 135 feet — and contains five staterooms able to accommodate 10 guests. Prior to the fire, it had been available to charter for roughly €65,000 ($75,000) per week.

Around 8 p.m. local time, flames broke out in the front of the boat, according to SuperYacht Times. The fire then spread to the lower decks, engulfing much of the vessel in flames.

Posted by Mic Pansera on Thursday, July 10, 2025

At the time, it was unclear if any guests were onboard the yacht, but two people — whom SuperYacht Times reported were crew members aged 24 and 35 — were rescued from the fire. At the time of reporting, they were suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation.

By midnight, firefighters in the port had contained the worst of the blaze, moving other yachts in the area to a safe distance. They also deployed the yacht's anti-pollution barriers, which were designed to keep materials and spills from contaminating the waters.

The blaze also sparked emotions in various Reddit threads, where many people expressed disdain for superyacht ownership in the first place.

One person called such a boat a "vulgar display of wealth."

In another thread, someone described the situation as an "insurance claim for another billionaire."

In addition to the wealth disparities that superyachts represent, many people resent them for their extraordinarily disproportionate environmental impact.

According to nonprofit Oxfam, the world's wealthiest 1% of people generate as much pollution as its poorest 67%, and the wealthiest 10% are responsible for over half of the world's toxic, planet-warming emissions.

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And of all the ways that the ultra wealthy generate pollution and emissions, superyachts are the single most polluting source, per CleanTechnica. Not only do they need engine power to sail, but they require a staggering amount of energy and power just to be maintained, even when docked.

And so while a fire is never an ideal scenario, one Redditor couldn't help but point out: "Is it cheaper and less polluting to burn superyachts, considering the running costs?"

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