THE Italian navy rescued a group of tourists, 17 Americans, one English and one Irish, after their chartered yacht began sinking in high winds and waves in the Meditterranean.
The US yacht Nadine raised an SOS on Saturday after it took on water and its motors failed between the Italian port of Civitavecchia and the island of Sardinia, a statement from the navy said.
A navy helicopter, an air force helicopter and a navy cutter went to the scene for an all night rescue operation. The last two passengers were airlifted off the yacht, which later sank, at 6 a.m. yesterday, the navy said.
The passengers, all between the ages of 23 to 40, were taken to Olbia, on the north east coast of Sardinia. "They are all fine," said a spokeswoman for the US navy base at la Maddalena on Sardinia, which sent representatives to Olbia to assist the rescued passengers.