Jul 29, 2023 by Kevin Maher
A fire on board a 70-foot Viking claimed one woman’s life and left two men in critical condition.
A 70-foot Viking caught on fire in the Florida Keys on Wednesday, July 26, at 12:10 a.m., claiming the life of 51-year-old Linda Vella of St. Petersburg, Florida. The fire also critically injured her husband Michael Kenneth Robson, 58, and son Anthony Joseph Vella, 21, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The vessel was fully engulfed when fire rescue crews arrived at the marina the Viking was docked at, located at 7101 Shrimp Road. The crews battled the fire for approximately three hours.
Another family of four was also on the yacht but managed to get off safely. Vella’s husband and son were airlifted to a Miami hospital where they remain in critical condition. The Viking was completely destroyed in the fire.
Lisamarie Vella, who identified herself as Vella’s daughter, started a GoFundMe in memory of her mother and to help her family during this time.
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