Politics
Shocking moment 235ft superyacht worth £65m smashes into dock after ‘computer malfunction’
THIS is the shocking moment a 235ft superyacht smashes into a luxury Caribbean yacht club’s pier after a “computer malfunction”.
The superyacht, worth £65million, was caught on video slowly crashing into the dock, in Simpson Bay, St Maarten on Wednesday.
The superyacht was caught on video smashing into a wooden pier in Simpson Bay, St Maarten last Wednesday[/caption]
St Maarten Yacht Club’s dock has been closed until further notice[/caption]
The £65million superyacht has its own helipad, hospital and swimming pool on board[/caption]
Superyacht Go, which is fitted with a helipad, a steam room, a swimming pool and its own hospital, plouged into the wooden pier, broke apart the wooden jetty and a concrete wall.
In one video, an onlooker can be heard saying “oh my God” repeatedly as the vessel crashed into the pier.
The captain of Go was attempted to leave the Simpson Bay Lagoon at Ile de Sol Marina at 10:15 on Wednesday morning when the crash happened.
It is believed that the cause of the crash had to do with a “computer malfunction”, however, when the superyacht was being towed out of the marina, a huge gouge was spotted on the side of the vessel.
It is not yet known how much it will cost to repair the dock or the superyacht but a manager for the yacht club told the Mail Online that it could take months.
St Maarten Yacht Club’s dock has been closed until further notice.
A notice posted on its website on Wednesday read: “As most of you will have heard by now, this morning an accident occurred with a mega yacht.
“They lost control over the vessel and hit the dock of the Sint Maarten Yacht Club.
“Nobody was injured and the damage is solely structural, however, it is very significant.
“We are currently assessing the extent of the damage to make a plan to rebuild.”
Sint Maarten Yacht Club General Manager Michele Korteweg told the Daily Herald: “If the piles supporting the structure are still solid and stable, it should be easier to rebuild.
“If that’s not the case we will have to replace the piles which could take months.
“But in the meantime, we will come up with a temporary solution in order to be operational as quick as possible, at least at the minimum to connect the wooden accessway to the concrete dock.”
Other witnesses told the Mail Online that the superyacht had become entangled with the propeller of an old sailboat at sea when it was about to dock.
This isn’t the first time a massive yacht crashed into a pier in Sint Maarten.
Most read in World News
In December 2019, a superyacht, owned by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, accidentally ripped a Caribbean dock after its captain last control.
Tourists enjoying the view were filmed running away from the edge of Simpson Bay Bridge, Sint Maarten when the swerving vessel began to speed up.
It is believed fierce weather conditions including gale-force winds pushed the yacht to the side, eventually pushing it into the control booth.
