A serious marina fire in Sydney, Australia, has resulted in the sinking of three yachts and significant damage to another at Spit Marina in Mosman. The blaze broke out at approximately 3:30am (AEST) on 9 January, prompting a large-scale emergency response in one of the city’s most prominent superyacht marinas.
Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) confirmed that emergency services were called to the scene in the early hours after reports of a yacht on fire. Upon arrival, firefighters found one vessel “well alight,” with flames quickly spreading to neighbouring yachts moored in close proximity.
Four people were evacuated from the affected vessel, with one individual treated for smoke inhalation by NSW Ambulance paramedics. The person was transported to hospital and remains in a stable condition.
More than 40 firefighters responded to the incident, supported by the Port Authority of New South Wales firefighting vessel Girawaa. The fire took approximately two and a half hours to fully extinguish. FRNSW worked closely with the Environment Protection Authority to contain debris and prevent pollution, including managing oil and fuel runoff within the marina.
While the identities of the yachts that sank have not been officially confirmed, footage from the scene suggests that a Princess 85 and a Sunseeker yacht were among those damaged. Several large yachts were berthed nearby at the time of the fire but appear to be unaffected, including the 30.5-metre Parriwi, the 28.3-metre Mangusta 92 Glory Days, the 28.2-metre Sunseeker Twenty Eight, the 44.6-metre Proteksan Texas, and the 28-metre Hargrave Custom Yachts Sassy.
New South Wales Police have stated that initial inquiries indicate the fire is not being treated as suspicious. However, a full investigation into the cause of the blaze is currently underway.
The incident has raised renewed concerns around fire safety in marinas, particularly those accommodating high-value yachts in close berthing conditions.
