Ten Austrian tourists rescued after motorboat sinks near Trieste

Ten Austrian tourists, including at least two from Carinthia, were rescued after their motorboat sank in the Gulf of Trieste on Saturday, ORF reported. The incident was probably caused by a technical fault, after water began entering the vessel.

The group had set out from Porto Piccolo in Sistiana on the approximately 14-metre-long motorboat Diwa II, reportedly heading for Izola in Slovenia. Around midday, near Trieste city centre and the outer side of the Rizzo breakwater, the passengers noticed the water entering the boat and issued an emergency call.

Firefighters and coastguard crews reached the scene in patrol boats and an inflatable boat. The vessel was almost completely submerged by the time they arrived, but all 10 passengers were brought to safety. They were taken to the harbour authority’s headquarters, where emergency medical personnel examined and treated them. No injuries were reported.

Diego Tomat, deputy commander of the Trieste harbour authority, said no fuel appeared to have leaked. Investigators will examine the cause once the boat has been recovered. An initial inspection found no external damage, leading authorities to suspect a technical fault.