A boat that sank in Sant Antoni Bay has been successfully refloated and removed after its fuel caused a slick in the sea and prompted a precautionary yellow bathing flag at es Pouet.

The vessel went down on Monday, September 21, near sa Punta des Molí after being anchored in an unauthorised area close to the shoreline. On Tuesday morning, September 22, the owner arranged for a specialist company to refloat the boat and transport it to dry dock.

The area remained under municipal supervision after the removal, with technicians checking the nearby bathing zone for any remaining signs of fuel.

The boat sank near sa Punta des Molí

The incident occurred in the bay of Sant Antoni, in front of sa Punta des Molí.

According to the municipal information, the vessel was anchored outside the authorised anchoring area and only a short distance from the coast.

The sinking itself took place outside the designated bathing zone and outside the direct municipal area of competence.

Fuel reached the sea

Following the sinking, fuel escaped from the vessel and formed a slick on the water.

Wind conditions pushed the slick in the direction of es Pouet, raising concerns about a possible effect on the nearby bathing area.

The authorities responded as a precaution while preparations were made to recover the boat.

Es Pouet switched to a yellow flag

Sant Antoni Town Hall changed the bathing flag at es Pouet from green to yellow.

The measure was precautionary and was introduced because of the possibility that the fuel slick could affect the bathing area.

Swimmers and beach users were advised to follow the instructions of the lifeguards and respect the beach signage while the situation was being assessed.

Anti-pollution barriers were deployed

Specialist anti-pollution barriers were installed around the affected area.

Their purpose was to contain the fuel slick and minimise any possible spread through the sea.

The response was coordinated between Ports IB, Salvamento Marítimo, Capitanía Marítima and Sant Antoni Town Hall.

The owner arranged the recovery

The boat's owner was responsible for arranging the recovery operation.

A specialist company carried out the refloating work on Tuesday morning.

Once the vessel was brought back to the surface, it was transported to dry dock.

Refloating completed the following morning

The recovery took place approximately one day after the sinking.

The operation was carried out without the vessel remaining in the water for a prolonged period after the initial incident.

The municipality continued to monitor the area after the boat had been removed.

The beach was checked after the removal

Municipal environmental technicians carried out a detailed inspection of the bathing area following the recovery operation.

According to the Town Hall, no visible remains of the fuel slick were detected in the water during the morning check.

There were also no visible signs of contamination.

Es Pouet returned to a green flag

Following that inspection, the municipality reopened es Pouet for bathing under a green flag.

The decision was based on the conditions observed in the bathing area after the boat had been removed.

The authorities nevertheless decided to keep the surrounding area under supervision to monitor how the situation developed.

Continued monitoring of the area

Although no visible fuel remained in the water during the inspection, the municipality said monitoring would continue.

The purpose is to ensure that conditions remain safe and that there is no subsequent spread or reappearance of the fuel slick.

The response therefore did not simply end when the boat was taken away.

The cause of the sinking remains unclear

The available information does not establish why the vessel sank.

There has been no confirmed public explanation identifying a mechanical failure, weather-related problem, collision or other specific cause.

The fact that the boat was anchored in an unauthorised area is separate from the question of what caused it to sink.

The location was outside the bathing zone

The boat was not inside the official bathing area.

It sank offshore from sa Punta des Molí, outside the municipal bathing zone, but the resulting fuel slick moved towards the nearby es Pouet beach.

That proximity is what prompted the precautionary intervention despite the sinking itself occurring outside the designated bathing area.

Coordination between several authorities

The incident required several organisations to work together.

Ports IB, Salvamento Marítimo and Capitanía Marítima were involved alongside Sant Antoni Town Hall.

The municipal Department of the Environment monitored the response and followed the measures being taken to limit any possible effect on the coastline.

No visible contamination reported after recovery

The latest municipal assessment found no visible fuel residue in the sea during the inspection.

This is an important distinction from saying that no environmental impact occurred.

There has been no publicly released quantified assessment of the amount of fuel that entered the water, nor a published measurement of any longer-term environmental effect.

A precautionary response rather than a confirmed major pollution event

The measures taken were designed to prevent a localised fuel slick from affecting the nearby bathing area.

The yellow flag, containment barriers and continued monitoring were precautionary measures.

At present, there is no basis in the available information to describe the incident as a major marine pollution event.

Back in dry dock

The recovery means the sunken vessel is no longer sitting on the seabed near the coast.

It has been transported to dry dock following the specialist refloating operation.

Removing the boat also eliminates the immediate risk of additional fuel escaping from the vessel itself.

Beach users can return

With the beach reopened under a green flag, bathing at es Pouet has returned to normal conditions according to the municipality's latest inspection.

Visitors are still expected to follow the instructions of the beach surveillance team and any temporary signage.

The wider area remains under observation as a precaution.

What happened, step by step

The sequence began on Monday, September 21, when the boat sank near sa Punta des Molí while anchored in an unauthorised area.

A fuel slick appeared in the sea and was carried towards es Pouet by the wind.

Authorities installed containment barriers and changed the beach flag to yellow as a precaution.

On Tuesday morning, the owner arranged for a specialist company to refloat and remove the vessel.

The boat was then transported to dry dock, while municipal technicians checked the bathing area.

No visible fuel residue or signs of contamination were detected during the check, and es Pouet was reopened with a green flag.

Monitoring continues

Sant Antoni Town Hall has said the area will remain under supervision.

The aim is to ensure that the current conditions are maintained and that the fuel slick does not reappear or cause a new issue along the nearby coastline.

For now, the immediate recovery operation has been completed and es Pouet has reopened for bathing.

A quick resolution to a potentially disruptive incident

The boat's sinking created a short-lived disruption in one of Sant Antoni's busiest coastal areas, requiring a coordinated response and temporary changes to bathing conditions.

The vessel has now been removed, the fuel slick is no longer visibly present and the beach has returned to a green flag.

The remaining step is continued monitoring of the area to ensure that conditions stay stable in the days ahead.