Out-of-control 282ft superyacht built for billionaire Roman Abramovich rips bridge-keepers’ cabin from the dockside on Caribbean island as it careers into port
- The 282ft Superyacht Ecstasea has smashed into a harbour bridge control booth
- Believed adverse wind and current conditions caused the ship to veer right
- Incident occurred in Simpson Bay Lagoon, on Caribbean island of Sint Maarten
- Yacht was built for Roman Abramovich in 2004, and is now owned by a Pakistani billionaire
A 282-foot-long superyacht belonging to a Pakistani billionaire has smashed into a bridge on a Caribbean island due to difficult weather conditions.
The Feadship superyacht Ecstasea was recorded breaking the control booth of a bascule bridge entering Simpson Bay Lagoon in Sint Maarten yesterday.
The terrifying footage shows onlookers running off the deck of a harbour-side bar as the ship rips through the small white booth, leaving a large scrape on its exterior.
The Feadship superyacht Ecstasea was recorded breaking the control booth of a bascule bridge entering Simpson Bay Lagoon in Sint Maarten yesterday
Entering the bay on Sunday at 3pm, it is believed a combination of adverse wind and current conditions caused the superyacht to veer right and hit the control booth.
The impact forces almost all of the booth to come away and fall into the water below, seconds after the bridge operator manages to jump out of his seat inside it.
No one was harmed during the incident, and the bridge is fully functional, as the control gears were not damaged during the incident.
Entering the bay on Sunday at 3pm, it is believed a combination of adverse wind and current conditions caused the superyacht to veer right and hit the control booth
Simpson Bay Lagoon Corporation project manager Bertrand Peters told Boat International: ‘It was tricky – the vessel had some difficulties. The impact took out the booth but the controls and gear were all intact so the bridge remains fully operational and opening times will not be affected.’
The country of Sint Maarten is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and forms part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean.
Accidents in Simpson Bay are rare, but this is not the first time a yacht has damaged the bridge while navigating the narrow passageway.
The impact forces almost all of the booth to come away and fall into the water below, seconds after the bridge operator manages to jump out of his seat inside it
The Ecstasea was commissioned by Russian-Israeli businessman Roman Abramovich in 2004, who built his fortune during the opening up of the Soviet Union to private business in the early 1990s
The Ecstasea was commissioned by Russian-Israeli businessman Roman Abramovich in 2004, who built his fortune during the opening up of the Soviet Union to private business in the early 1990s.
It was constructed by First Export Association of Dutch Shipbuilders, a collaboration between two Dutch shipyards known for building the custom superyachts. At the time, it was the largest vessel the group had built.
In 2009, Abramovich sold the vessel to Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, for $120 million. Sheikh Mohammed then sold it to shipping magnate Fiyaz in 2014.
In 2009, Abramovich sold the vessel to Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, for $120 million