A pirate-themed party boat carrying 148 passengers — including 20 children — has sunk off the coast of a popular Turkish holiday resort, with harrowing footage showing tourists leaping into the sea as the vessel rolled onto its side before disappearing completely beneath the surface within an hour.
The Big Boss Diamond, described by its operator as the biggest pirate ship in Turkey, began taking on water off Paradise Island near the resort of Marmaris before capsizing. Video footage captured passengers scrambling to abandon ship as the vessel listed heavily, with only its sails visible above the waterline before it sank entirely. Multiple rescue vessels surrounded the wreckage as debris floated across the surface of the water.
Remarkably, all those on board were brought safely to shore. The Governor of Muğla — the province in which the incident took place — confirmed in a statement that teams dispatched to the area coordinated the evacuation with support from nearby boats. “Checks revealed no casualties, injuries, or health problems. The evacuated citizens were safely brought to shore,” the statement said.
Big Boss Diamond’s operator, Yagna Tourism, subsequently posted on social media to reassure customers. “Dear guests and friends, thank you very much for asking and worrying about us. We are all safe and fine. Till fixed up Big Boss Diamond we will carry on our boat trips with Big Boss Yagna,” the company wrote.
Yagna Tourism markets the Big Boss Diamond as a family party boat aimed at both adults and children, advertising unlimited beer, cocktails and wine for just $47 per person alongside a soft play area for children, a treasure hunt and an onboard DJ. Previous footage from expeditions on the vessel showed tourists dancing on deck while being sprayed with water as a man dressed as a pirate performed for the crowd.
The sinking will raise questions about safety standards on the party boat industry along Turkey’s busy Aegean coastline, which attracts millions of tourists each summer and operates dozens of booze cruise vessels catering to holidaymakers from across Europe.
