The owner of a £3.8million superyacht, the Angiola II, is preparing to salvage the vessel from the Mediterranean seabed off Porto Cervo, Sardinia, after it capsized and sank just four days after being delivered following a major refurbishment. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening, has drawn attention partly because the brokerage that sold the yacht, Agenzia Marittima De Felice, had publicly wished the new owner "many unforgettable moments on board" only weeks before it went down.

The 98ft yacht, believed to have lost buoyancy after an engine fire damaged its seals and let water flood in, was carrying 14 people when it began sinking; 12 were rescued by a nearby vessel, while the owner and a friend waited for a patrol boat. A roughly 200-tonne pontoon is expected to be used to lift the wreck, which has been resting 23ft underwater since Tuesday and was cordoned off by the coastguard. Italian media valued the Amer Yachts-built vessel at over €8million, though it was listed for sale at €4.5million, and port authorities are working to prevent environmental damage.