Luxury Yacht Erupts in Fiery Explosion, Captain and Crew Jump Overboard as Flames Consume Vessel

THIS is the terrifying moment a luxury tourist boat exploded into a fireball and burned to a crisp.

The dramatic inferno forced the captain and crewmen to leap into the sea as the vessel lit up in flames.

A Yacht catches fire off the coast of Progreso in Yucatan, MexicoCredit: Newsflash Shocking footage shows thick black smoke billowing into the skyCredit: Newsflash

The yacht, Twist Party II, erupted about a mile offshore from Progreso, a port town in Mexico’s Yucatán state, on Saturday.

Shocking footage shows thick black smoke billowing into the sky, visible from the seafront promenade, as flames tore through the boat.

Reports say the blast triggered a fast-moving fire – leaving the crewman with no choice but to abandon the ship.

The pair jumped into the water and clung to an inflatable mat while desperately calling for help.

Mexico’s Navy (SEMAR) launched an emergency rescue, deploying boats and a tug, while firefighters and medics were placed on standby at the port.

Both men were pulled to safety and miraculously escaped without injury.

But the yacht burned for up to 50 minutes and was later declared a total loss.

Prosecutors said specialists will examine the wreckage to determine the cause of the fire, including whether it was a technical fault or something external.

Port authorities confirmed the explosion happened around two kilometres offshore, opposite the beach near 94th street.

Fire crews from the Secretariat of Public Security battled the blaze alongside navy personnel, but the inferno proved unstoppable.

The vessel – used for tourism and social events – had departed from the Puerto de Abrigo de Progreso shortly before the explosion, allowing emergency teams to respond quickly.

Despite the dramatic rescue, the incident sparked alarm among tourists and locals, many of whom watched the chaos unfold from the beach near the Poseidon statue – said to watch over sailors.

The blaze comes amid a string of terrifying yacht fires.

It follows before sinking near the party island of Ibiza.

The 91ft Da Vinci caught fire off the coast of Formentera with seven people onboard.

Footage showed flames engulfing the vessel as thick smoke poured into the sky.

All four passengers, two crew members and the captain were evacuated and in a “good condition”, rescuers said.

But despite firefighting efforts, the yacht was destroyed and sank 7.3 miles south-west of Formentera.

In a post on X, marine rescue crews said:

“The fire could not be controlled, and the yacht has finally sunk.”

The cause of that blaze is also under investigation.

The dramatic inferno forced the captain and crewmen to leap into the seaCredit: Newsflash Both men were pulled to safety and miraculously escaped without injuryCredit: Newsflash