At around 9.10 am on Sunday morning, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Rijeka received an emergency call. Around six nautical miles south of the island of Šolta, a 46-year-old Austrian skipper had fallen overboard from a charter catamaran. According to media reports, a storm was raging in the region at the time, with rough seas and limited visibility. The catamaran had set sail from Trogir the previous day on a multi-day cruise with seven people on board. It appears that, during the storm, a line had become entangled in the saildrive. The skipper therefore went to the stern of the catamaran to assess the situation. In strong winds, he was caught by an oncoming wave and swept overboard. The crew members tried to throw a line in his direction, but lost sight of him in the choppy seas.
Large-scale rescue operation
Immediately after the emergency call, the authorities launched a large-scale search operation. All available maritime rescue units were dispatched to the search area. Six vessels ploughed through the rough seas: two lifeboats from Milna, one lifeboat from the Hvar branch, and three boats from the Split Coastguard. From midday onwards, the search was supported from the air. In cooperation with the Croatian Coastguard, a Pilatus aircraft circled over the area to search a wider stretch of water. Helicopters and drones were also deployed. A PAN-PAN radio message was issued asking vessels in the search area to keep an out for the missing person.
Crew safe
The catamaran’s six-member crew were unharmed but suffered severe shock. To ensure the safety of the remaining passengers, swift action was taken in close consultation with the Croatian charter company. A replacement skipper was brought on board, who took command and navigated the boat to a safe port of destination, where the crew were able to disembark. The Croatian authorities emphasise that the search will continue as long as there is hope of finding the missing man alive. The operations command refers to previous cases in which shipwrecked people have been rescued even after several days. Even three days after the accident, there is still no trace of the 46-year-old. The search operation is continuing.
Martin Hager
Editor in Chief YACHT
