Rome, Aug 15: Italian Coastguard vessels picked up 41 tourists from the sea in the early hours of today after a pleasure boat packed with Italian holiday makers on a fishing trip sank in the Adriatic Sea northwest of Rimini.
Coastguard officials said all 38 passengers and three crew were rescued after the vessel, the aquilon, went down around four nautical miles from the Port of Cesenatico late yesterday.
Officials said a mayday distress call received from the vessel set off a major search and rescue operation involving five coastguard vessels backed by a helicopter and local fishing boats.
Attempts to locate the aquilon in darkness were complicated by a worsening sea state and the loss of radio contact with the boat, they said.
The crew told officials the aquilon, used every summer to take tourists on coastal fishing excusions, rapidly took on water after the hull was damaged by two large waves as sea conditions suddenly worsened.
The aquilon had sunk before help arrived and 13 people were found aboard a life raft. According to the coastguard, the others were plucked from the sea nearby. The rescue was completed by 3:00 am (local time) today, they said.

Several people were hospitalised for medical checks but were not reported to be in danger. All but one survivor, said to be suffering from heart problems, were later released.

Italy's maritime authority opened an inquiry into the incident early today.
Bureau Report