Three dead after sailing yacht collides with passenger catamaran between the islands of Šolta and Brač

Three sailors have died and one is said to still be missing following a collision last Sunday between a sailing yacht and the passenger catamaran Krilo Eclipse. The incident occurred in one of the busiest boating areas of the Adriatic off the coast of Croatia close to Split and between the islands of Brač and Šolta.

In a press statement from local authorities, it was reported that Krilo Eclipse (IMO 9251767), operated by a local and private Croatian shipping company, was at the time of the incident carrying 118 passengers and seven crew. According to the media information provided, the Krilo Eclipse which is a Croatian registered vessel, was in collision with an unnamed French-flagged sailing boat which had eight Czech people on board. The yacht is said to have sunk very quickly,

A statement from the Croatian Ministry of the Sea and Transport confirmed that three people had died, one was missing and four were saved. An investigation has been initiated to find the cause of the collision. The sea was stated to be calm at the time of the collision. The sailing boat is understood to have sunk in 50m of water depth and the authorities deployed rescue teams equipped with an underwater drone in their efforts to find the missing sailor. Poor visibility is reported to have hampered the search but the efforts to find the missing person continue. The Croatian Navy has located the wreck.