These pictures show a sunken £6m superyacht that was destroyed by fire being hauled from the water. The 85ft yacht 'Rendezvous' was carrying 8,000 litres of fuel when it caught fire and ended up submerged at the bottom of Torquay Harbour.
The massive blaze broke out on Saturday, May 28 with smoke seen billowing across the blue skies above the heads of sunbathers in the seaside town in Devon. Since the incident, Torbay Harbour Authority have been working with a specialist wreck removal company.
Divers were in the water on Monday to make the final preparations for the salvage operation. For the last couple of days workers have been studying the harbour awaiting the recovery.
And on Wednesday afternoon (June 29) a crane was finally used to pull it back up to the surface. One onlooker said: "Straps were put around the back and front of the vessel to secure it and it has just been brought to the surface, lifted onto a pontoon where it will be taken away.
"It is fair to say, the yacht was not in a good shape and looks completely destroyed. I don't think anyone will be sailing in it anytime soon."
Once the salvage operation is safely completed, repairs to Princess Pier will begin and before it is reopened to the public.
The Rendezvous caught fire on a pontoon on the harbour's marina shortly after being refuelled. The inferno which followed sent flames and smoke billowing high into the air. The pall of black smoke could be seen for miles as the Rendezvous was reduced to a charred hulk, DevonLive reports.
The flames cut through the boat's mooring rope and it drifted across the harbour into the wooden decking of nearby Princess Pier, setting fire to the timbers. The pier and harbour quays were evacuated as firefighters fought the blaze.
Hours after it first caught fire, the Rendezvous sank alongside the pier, and special booms were set up around it to prevent pollution from escaping. Now a specialist barge has been brought in to finish the job of salvaging the wreckage.
After divers had been down to check on the wreck, strops were passed under the hull and a large crane lifted the hulk to the surface. The strength of the fire is clear from the remains of the yacht. Its superstructure, luxury cabins and flying bridge have gone completely, leaving just a charred and buckled shell.
