Crew member arrested after fatal catamaran-sailboat collision off Croatia

Croatian Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović confirmed the arrest of one crew member following a severe maritime accident near Split, where a catamaran collided with a sailboat, resulting in four fatalities. Preliminary investigation findings point to potential lapses in the catamaran's operation during the incident.

Božinović stated that there are indications that not all necessary measures were taken to prevent the collision. "As far as I know, according to the facts established so far, there is a suspicion that during the operation of the catamaran, not all measures that would have been necessary to avoid a collision were taken. In this regard, there was a violation of regulations related to navigation safety, which resulted in a collision and the death of four people," he said.

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As far as I know, according to the facts established so far, there is a suspicion that during the operation of the catamaran, not all measures that would have been necessary to avoid a collision were taken. In this regard, there was a violation of regulations related to navigation safety, which resulted in a collision and the death of four people.

When asked if the arrest pertained to the catamaran's first officer, the minister did not directly confirm the suspect's identity. However, he indicated that, based on his information, the captain was not steering the vessel at the time of the accident. "I think the captain was not operating the catamaran at that time, and the first officer is a person who can take over the command of the ship and replace the captain," Božinović added.

The Split-Dalmatia police had previously reported the arrest of a 33-year-old Croatian citizen on suspicion of involvement in one of the most serious maritime accidents in recent years on the Adriatic. The investigation focuses on potential offenses against traffic safety, specifically endangering specific types of traffic. The catamaran was carrying 118 passengers and seven crew members, while the sailboat had eight Czech citizens on board. The bodies of all four deceased were recovered from the sunken sailboat.

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I think the captain was not operating the catamaran at that time, and the first officer is a person who can take over the command of the ship and replace the captain.