Ferry collision in Split leaves one tourist boat sunk

(Photo: HAK/Screenshot)

A dramatic incident unfolded in the Port of Split on Monday morning when a Jadrolinija ferry, Petar Hektorović, broke loose during a violent storm and collided with two nearby vessels.

The force of the impact caused one of the boats, a large tourist excursion vessel, to sink, the director of the Split Port Authority, Vice Mihanović, confirmed to tportal.

The incident occurred during a fierce weather event that struck Split and its surroundings around 9 a.m., bringing torrential rain, hail, and powerful winds.

The sudden storm uprooted trees, caused power outages, and led to widespread flooding across roads and infrastructure.

In the chaos, the mooring lines securing the Petar Hektorović ferry snapped under the pressure of strong winds. The ferry began to drift through the harbour, first striking the Krilo catamaran before crashing into the large tourist boat.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as unfolding within minutes. One onlooker, parked near the port, said he turned away for only a moment before noticing the ferry had disappeared from its dock.

“The wind just carried it straight into the other boats,” he said.

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Another witness from a nearby office described hearing a loud crash before seeing the damage. “The rain was so intense we could barely see the ferry even though it was just 10 to 15 metres away. It hit the boat so hard it started sinking immediately. A man had to jump out to escape.”

“Due to extreme weather conditions in the port of Split, the rope of the ship ‘Petar Hektorović’ broke and the ship came into contact with a tourist ship and a catamaran. According to initial information, there are no injuries and no sea pollution has been recorded so far,” Jadrolinija told Danas.hr.

“With the quick and composed reaction of the captain and crew of the ship ‘Petar Hektorović’, both anchors were dropped in a very short time and the ship was put into operation, which prevented major damage and consequences in the port of Split,” Jadrolinija added.

The Port of Split continues to deal with the aftermath of the storm, which has disrupted both traffic and maritime operations.

Emergency services are on the scene, and authorities are expected to carry out an investigation into the incident.

The Petar Hektorović is one of Jadrolinija’s well-known ferries and operates on several coastal routes. The extent of any damage to the ferry and the catamaran is not yet fully known.