An incident off the coast of Turkey saw almost 150 boat passengers, 20 of whom were children, forced to jump overboard after the pirate-themed party boat began to sink. Dramatic footage of the incident shows the boat listing to one side before being completely engulfed by the waves.
The incident took place near Paradise Island, in the Mediterranean Sea, just off the coast of Turkey, on Friday, May 29. 148 people enjoying their well-earned vacations aboard the pirate-themed vessel, known as the “Big Boss Diamond,” were about to have their holiday turned upside down as the ship quickly began to sink after setting sail, as per the U.S. Sun.
The boat had set sail from Marmaris, a resort city in Turkey. Shortly after the voyage began, the vessel started taking on water and was recorded leaning dramatically to one side, not too far from the shore. Before long, there was nothing but the mast poking above the waves. The boat was reportedly completely submerged within an hour.
Rescue teams scrambled to help passengers in the water
The passengers on board had little choice but to jump into the sea to avoid going down with the ship. Rescue teams were quickly dispatched to the area to pull people from the water before they drowned or were swept away by the waves. Despite the large number of people on board, all passengers and crew were eventually rescued from the water and brought safely to shore.
According to the Muğla Governorship, there were “no casualties, injuries, or health problems” reported among the rescued passengers and crew. So far, there has been no explanation for what caused the ship to sink. According to an article from PEOPLE, several passengers claimed to have seen the engine on fire.
In an Instagram story, the boat operator thanked people for their concern, writing, “We are all safe and fine.” They added that operations would continue on another boat, “Bog Boss Yagna,” until “Big Boss Diamond” is fixed.
Published: Jun 1, 2026 03:00 pm