Three Dead, One Missing After Sailboat Collides With Passenger Ship Near Split

Three people have died and one remains missing following a maritime collision between the Croatian islands of Šolta and Brač. The accident occurred around 11:38 a.m. on Thursday.

Croatian police reported that emergency medical services provided assistance to four other passengers from the sailboat at the scene, who did not require hospitalization. The sailboat, which was flying a French flag, sank after the collision.

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In the maritime accident that occurred around 11:38 a.m. in the waters between the islands of Šolta and Brač, three people lost their lives, and one person is still being searched for. Medical services provided assistance to the other passengers from the sailboat (four people) at the scene, and there was no need to transport them to the hospital.

The involved vessels were a passenger ship operated by a Croatian private company and the sailboat. The Ministry of the Sea stated that the passenger ship had 118 passengers and seven crew members on board at the time of the incident. The sailboat carried eight individuals.

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The sailboat had valid papers and was under motor power. It was flying a foreign flag and had a vignette, with eight foreign nationals on board. We are not discussing nationalities at this moment because the Ministry of the Sea must inform the consulate; they are all foreigners.

Captain Željko Kuštera of the Harbor Master's Office noted that the sailboat had valid papers and was under motor power. He mentioned that the vessel was flying a foreign flag and had a vignette, indicating foreign nationals were aboard. He added that he had "never experienced anything like this in over thirty years of career."

The passenger ship was on its regular route. The injured individuals from the sailboat have been identified as Czech citizens, and initial reports suggest they are out of danger. The investigation into the cause of the collision is ongoing, with all data being collected and the vessels being examined.

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I have never experienced anything like this in over thirty years of career.