Ship with 5 luxury yachts on board capsizes off Palma de Mallorca but tugboats manage to avoid a disaster. The vessel is expected in Genoa
The Super Servant 4 broke down while offloading the yachts, the value of which is estimated at approximately 5 million pounds. The cause is believed to be an electrical fault with the hydraulic system
The Super Servant 4 broke down while offloading the yachts, the value of which is estimated at approximately 5 million pounds. The cause is believed to be an electrical fault with the hydraulic system
A vessel specialised in the transport of yachts nearly capsized in the port of Palma de Mallorca, in Spain. On board were five luxury yachts, whose overall value is estimated at over 5 million pounds, equivalent to over 5,600,000 euros. Some will be offloaded in the port of Genoa, where the vessel was to be expected in the next few hours, with docking at the VTE, but it will now arrive next week after it has been fully inspected.
The accident happened while the yachts were being offloaded. A disaster was avoided, meaning the complete capsizing of the ship, thanks to the work of the tugboats, which continued to push up against the gunwale which was dangerously close to the water.
The accident happened to the Super Servant 4, a semi-submersible cargo ship 170 metres long, built in 1982 flying the Curacao flag (Dutch Caribbean Island) which, according to preliminary investigations, suffered a fault to the electrical system of the hydraulics, leading to a loss of balance.
In short, the fault impeded the correct regulation of the pumps that at that moment were taking on water in the ballast tanks, in order to submerge the basin and allow it to fill with water, allowing the transported yachts to float. The fault made it so that the tank pumps continued working, unbalancing the semi-submerged vessel.
The ship, reaching Palma de Mallorca from the port of Le Marin, in France, began to keel over, coming dangerously close to completely capsizing. The port authority and fire brigade desperately tried to rebalance the ship. According to some Spanish media outlets, the crew called the port authority for assistance, after having noticed the fault to the hydraulic system that regulates the balance and draught of the ship, which is “flooded”, to allow the loading and offloading of the yachts transported.
The fire brigade used the ropes and the strength of the other vessels to stop the ship from capsizing, while a tugboat continued to push until the Super Servant 4 was in a safe position. In the photo, you can see, in the Super Servant 4’s basin, the stern of the “Were Dreams”, a 52.3 metre mega yacht, built by Amels and delivered in 2008. It can carry up to 10 people with 13 crew members.
Video: Youtube / Majorca Daily Bulletin
Photo: CEN/@PortsdeBalears
Giuseppe Orrù
