Fastest lifeboat
- Who
- SAR 60
- What
- 96.9 kilometre(s) per hour
- Where
- Italy
- When
- 12 July 2016
The fastest lifeboat is the SAR 60, rated up to 60 knots (69 mph; 111.1 km/h). It was designed by the Italian powerboat builder and racer, Fabio Buzzi. On 12 July 2016, the SAR 60 set a new speed record by travelling 1,120 nautical miles (2,074 km; 1,289 mi) from Monte Carlo, Monaco, to Venice, Italy, in just 22 hours 5 minutes 42 seconds, clocking an average speed of 52.3 knots (60.2 mph; 96.9 km/h).
The prototype is fully equipped for search and rescue operations. It has two 1,600HP MTU 10V 2000M94 diesel engines – made by MTU, a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce – that are designed to work in the most extreme sea conditions.
The Round Italy challenge included one refuelling stop at Roccella Ionica, Calabria, Italy.
In 2019, Buzzi sadly died while trying to beat the record in a different vessel, which crashed into a dam in Venice.