Horror at sea: Tourists leap from burning yacht off Turkish coast

The tourists travelling on a luxury yacht off the coast of paradise-like Marmaris in Turkey, experienced moments of horror. The resort has the largest yacht port in the country, which is eagerly used by tourists spending their holidays there.

One of the cruises had a tragic ending. The yacht, with approximately 110 people on board, caught fire.

A video online shows the fire consuming the cruiser and a pillar of smoke rising high into the air. Some tourists saved themselves by making risky jumps straight into the sea.

The film was shot from the deck of another ship. Rescue boats and people drifting in the water are visible, being thrown life rings. The crews of nearby vessels also rushed to help. The yacht burned down and sank.

Turkey is another country experiencing record heat for many days. Temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius have led to dangerous fires, which services across the country have been battling for over two weeks.

The most serious situation currently is in Izmir, western Turkey, where a forest fire has forced the suspension of operations at the local airport.

Fires related to high temperatures are also breaking out in Bulgaria. In the south of the country, in the village of Voden, 35 houses were burned down. Some residents fled their farms, and authorities forcibly evacuated some. In neighbouring North Macedonia, a fire is consuming mountain forests near Bitola. According to firefighters, the fire line is over 28 kilometres long.

Extreme heat is also persisting in Italy. Record-high temperatures there are caused by an African anticyclone named Charon. The highest red alert status has been declared in 12 cities, including Rome, Bologna, and Florence. In Foggia, Taranto, Rome, and Sicily, thermometers showed over 40 degrees Celsius this week.