Firefighters shared this photo, but did not confirm that it is the luxury yacht allegedly involved in the incident Photo: Facebook

The BBC reports that 13 crew members of the superyacht, Persephoni,  have been arrested following a wildfire on the Greek island of Hydra, that authorities allege was sparked by fireworks launched from the yacht.

Friday’s blaze burnt through 300 acres of the only pine forest on the renowned tourist island, which lies south of Athens, Greece’s Climate Crisis Minister Vassilis Kikilias said.

All crew members denied the charges, Greek media reported on Sunday. The yacht, which was chartered by foreign tourists, was seized by the Greek authorities.

Several local media outlets, citing court documents, reported that the visitors on the yacht were 17 Kazakhstan nationals who have since left Greece.

There is contention between Greece’s Coast Guard and the fire department.

Local media is reporting that while fire officials are relying on the statement of a captain of a nearby vessel, who allegedly saw flares or fireworks being launched from Persephoni – the Coast Guard says there is no evidence of this.

The alleged cause of the fire has prompted outrage in Greece, which is already battling several wildfires and is in the grip of its first heatwave of the year.

“We are indignant that some people so irresponsibly throw fireworks into a pine forest,” Hydra’s mayor, Giorgos Koukoudakis, told Greek broadcaster ERT on Saturday.

There has also been condemnation on social media: “Rich people with more money than brains,” wrote one person.

Persephoni is available for summer charter from €249,000 per week (£211,200; $269,300), according to several luxury yacht dealers online.

Greece has been on high alert for wildfires since Tuesday, and authorities are bracing for a difficult summer as dry conditions, strong winds and high temperatures are set to continue.