'Black Thursday' for Austrians in Croatia: Media report two tragedies

Croatian media are reporting a "Black Thursday" for Austrian citizens in Croatia, with two separate tragedies occurring on the same day. The incidents have cast a shadow of shock and grief over Austria.

Earlier in the day, a small plane crashed near Medulin, killing all four Austrian occupants. As evening fell, news emerged of another devastating incident: a yacht carrying two Austrian tourists collided with a breakwater near Pula. The collision occurred at an estimated speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

Authorities reported that the body of an unidentified person was found floating in the sea shortly after the yacht accident. It is believed that an Austrian national sustained fatal injuries in the collision. A second Austrian tourist suffered severe injuries and is in critical, life-threatening condition, according to a doctor at the Pula hospital who described the injuries as severe, affecting the head, chest, and abdomen.

The yacht involved was a 7.7-meter vessel with a 200 horsepower engine. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. Officials from the Pula Port Authority noted that the breakwater was marked with navigational lights due to ongoing construction work. While the yacht was properly registered, preliminary reports suggest excessive speed may have been a contributing factor.