eleonora yacht crash

Yachting World

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Giant schooner Eleonora sunk after after being struck by ship

• Helen Fretter
• June 10, 2022

The 49.5m modern classic Eleonora E, a replica of the schooner Westward, was struck by a 60m offshore supply vessel in Tarragona, Spain and later sank

The 49.5m Van der Graaf schooner Eleonora E , a replica of the record-breaking schooner Westward, launched in 2000, was struck by a 60m offshore supply vessel in Port Tárraco , Tarragona, Spain this morning, Friday 10 June, and later sank.

The incident happened at around 0815 this morning, when the offshore vessel was manoeuvring in harbour and became stuck in reverse. The supply vessel struck Eleonora  with force at midships on the starboard side, before motoring away. 

The yacht was moored alongside the seawall, but rapidly began sinking. Drone footage from the port shows the yacht completely submerged, with just the tip of the masts above water. Containment barriers are also visible, to prevent possible fuel pollution. 

The schooner Eleonora was struck then sank in harbour

No crew have been reported injured in the incident.

A major salvage operation is underway to recover the yacht, which is one of the most ambitious modern classic yachts of recent times. Built at the Van der Graaf shipyard in Holland Eleonora E is a replica of the Herreshoff-designed Westward , one of the most famous racing schooners in the world which raced against yachts such as Britannia and Lulworth in the early 1900s.

Eleonora sailing the Old Road Race at the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta in 2017

Eleonora E  underwent a major refit in 2014 and was listed for sale at £6.9million. Around 160ft long from sprit to stern, when sailing, the yacht carries some 12,000sq ft of sail on the two gaff masts. It sleeps eight guests and four crew in a traditionally styled interior, and comes complete with two classic wooden tenders – one motor, one rowing, both clinker built to the original Herreshoff designs.

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VIDEO: Schooner Eleonora E refloated in Spain following collision

Wednesday, October 5th, 2022

Written by: Marine Industry News

Schooner Eleonora E , which was left half submerged in the port of Tarragona on 10 June 2022 after a maritime supply vessel collided with it , has been refloated.

Documented in the footage below, the 60-metre offshore supply vessel had been manoeuvring in the port last June when it collided with the moored 49-metre sailing yacht Eleonora E . Nine crew, including the captain, were on board Eleonora E at the time of the accident, but no injuries were reported.

The complex salvage operation was carried out by Ardentia Marine. The operation lasted a total of three weeks, with more than 30 people helping in the operation. After the refloating, the sailboat was moved to the dry dock at the Serrallo wharf.

Es col.loca material absorbent per recollir les possible fuites de carburant del vaixell accidentat al #PortTarragona pic.twitter.com/wTi7w722oF — Port Tarragona (@PortTarragona) June 10, 2022

According to Tarragona Port , the refloating manoeuvre began three weeks ago with the inspection by divers of the state of the vessel to subsequently carry out the first repairs. Once these first tasks were carried out, a set of balloons were put in place, which, accompanied by two large cranes, straightened the yacht. Repairs then proceeded to the starboard side, where the impact occurred, while a specialist team continued temporary repairs underwater.

With the first repairs carried out, the team proceeded to raise the boat until the entire main deck was out of the water, to finally finish repairing the damage by pumping out the flooded compartments and thus recover buoyancy.

🏗️ El reflotamiento del Eleonora E ha sido completado con éxito tras culminar las tres semanas de operativa. 📸 Foto de @RataSentina . ℹ️ https://t.co/F3Bd6rcW9q @PortTarragona #porttarragona pic.twitter.com/6AXafCOX1k — Tarragona Port (@TarragonaPort) September 29, 2022

Eleonora E  is a replica of a classic 1910 schooner, delivered in 2000 and built by Dutch firm Van der Graaf. She was last listed for sale at €6.9m.

Lead image courtesy of Twitter/@RataSentina .

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One response to “video: schooner eleonora e refloated in spain following collision”.

I really hope to see her back sailing again!

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Sailing Yacht Eleonora E Successfully Refloated In Port Tarragona After A Collision

The salvage operation was designed to recover the 49-meter sailing yacht Eleonora E, which was left half-submerged after being hit by a 60-meter offshore supply vessel based in Port Tárraco this summer (10 June), which has been completed.

The ultimate phase of the operation concluded on Monday (26 September) after the vessel was successfully refloated and hauled at the PTW Tarragona facility.

The operation of the stricken vessel spanned three weeks and involved over 30 personnel.

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/sailing-yacht-eleonora-e-successfully-refloated-in-port-tarragona-after-a-collision/

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The 49 metre sailing yacht  Eleonora E  has foundered after being hit by a 60 metre offshore supply vessel in Port Tárraco, Tarragona, Spain.

The yacht was moored when the collision took place. A major salvage operation has been underway to rescue the schooner, but according to eyewitness reports, she was completely submerged within thirty minutes of the collision.

The incident took place at 8.15am local time. The port authorities report that the supply vessel was attempting to manoeuvre when its engines became blocked while reversing. It hit  Eleonora E  on the starboard side, just aft of midships, while she was berthed in an area of water between four to five metres deep.

Local authorities report that containment barriers have been installed to prevent possible fuel leaks. No injuries have been reported.

The yacht was delivered in 2000 by Dutch yard Van der Graaf. She is a replica of the classic 1910 schooner  Westward.

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WATCH: Moment replica of Jersey's most famous sailing yacht is struck by a ship – and later sinks

A REPLICA of Jersey’s most famous sailing yacht has sunk after being struck by a ship while in port in Spain.

Eleonora E – a copy of TB Davis’ 160-ft schooner Westward – went down within half an hour after being hit by a supply vessel in Port Tárraco in Tarragona.

According to Superyacht News, the captain of the supply vessel attempted to prevent the collision by stopping the main engines, which had become blocked, and anchoring the vessel with both anchors.

No one was injured in the collision.

Westward, bought by Davis – a businessman and philanthropist – in 1924, became regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of naval architecture to ever grace Channel Island waters.

During the following years he raced the vessel at Cowes against King George’s Britannia and other Big Class yachts.

Davis died in 1942 and five years later Westward was deliberately sunk in the Hurd Deep off Alderney.

Thousands of people turned out to see Eleonora when it visited Jersey in 2010.

Almost 100 boats gathered off Corbière and Noirmont while hundreds of others waved from the shores as Eleonora made her way into the Harbour under full sail.

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Update: 49m Schooner Eleonora E Being Scrapped Following Collision and Sinking

Last June, we posted that the classic 49m schooner was struck by a 60m long search and rescue vessel in Port Tárraco, Tarragona, Spain, and subsequently sank. The search and rescue vessel Punta Mayor was maneuvering in the harbor and became stuck in reverse. The vessel struck Eleonora E at midships on the starboard side, crushing the schooner against a seawall.

Boat International reports that the yacht was left submerged for several weeks following the strike by a search and rescue vessel in June 2022. A refloating operation took place over the course of three weeks in September, and she was relocated to PTW-Shipyard in Tarragona where it was hoped she could be salvaged.

The water-damaged hull has since been moved to a scrapping facility in Vinaròs and the remains of the yacht are expected to be scrapped in the coming weeks. 

Built in 2000, at the Van der Graaf shipyard in Holland,  Eleonora E  is a replica of the Herreshoff-designed Westward , one of the most famous racing schooners in the world which raced against yachts such as  Britannia  and  Lulworth  in the early 1900s.

🏗️ El reflotamiento del Eleonora E ha sido completado con éxito tras culminar las tres semanas de operativa. 📸 Foto de @RataSentina . ℹ️ https://t.co/F3Bd6rcW9q @PortTarragona #porttarragona pic.twitter.com/6AXafCOX1k — Tarragona Port (@TarragonaPort) September 29, 2022

Thanks to Virginia Jones for contributing to this post.

Update: 49m Schooner Eleonora E Being Scrapped Following Collision and Sinking — 1 Comment

This news is sad indeed. Eleonora E was a mere 22 years young. A painting of her predecessor sailing in The Solent hangs prominently in my living room.

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Schooner Eleonora E sunk after being hit by commercial ship

This is the horrifying moment that the Westward replica Eleonora E was struck by a commercial vessel in a Spanish port – and later sunk.

The 49.5-metre Van der Graaf schooner Eleonora E was reportedly struck by a 60-metre offshore supply vessel in Port Tárraco, Tarragona.

SuperYacht Times reports that the incident happened at 8am on 10 June, after a Maritime Rescue boat, the  Punta Mayor , “started her exit manoeuvre from the Moll de Costa in the port of Tarragona, when her main engines became blocked while she was in reverse. The crew stopped the engines and tried to anchor her with two anchors to stop her from moving”.

The boat could not be prevented from colliding with Eleonora E , which took on water and later sunk on her mooring.

There were apparently no injuries and no fuel pollution.

Eleonora has been available for charter from €70k per week and was on the market in recent years, priced at €7.9m.

Eleonora  was built in 2000 at the Van der Graaf shipyard in Holland. She is a faithful replica, above and below decks, of Westward , which in 1910 was one of the most famous racing schooners in the world and sailed successfully against yachts such as  Britannia  and  Lulworth , winning numerous trophies.

Eleonora  raced in the Solent in 2015 as part of the fleet celebrating the Royal Yacht Squadron’s Bicentennial Regatta.

Eleonora ’s interior is traditional, following NG Herreshoff’s plans, panelled in mahogany. She sleeps eight guests in three double cabins and one twin cabin. The bathrooms are fitted out in marble. Each cabin boats climate control.

The boat was for sale following a major refit.

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Rammed schooner : "Eleonora" must be scrapped

Tobias Frauen

 ·  20.02.2023

The end of the "Eleonora": As "Boat International" writes, citing its own sources, the schooner is currently being scrapped. The side of the 49-metre-long sailing vessel was torn open by a supply ship in June 2022 while the "Eleonora" was moored in the port of Tarragona, Spain. The wreck was salvaged three months after the accident in an extensive salvage operation. However, the damage was apparently too extensive to repair.

According to the report, the "Eleonora" was initially salvaged with cranes and balloons as planned and then towed across the harbour to the PTW shipyard at the end of September. However, the wreck is now at a shipbreaking yard in Vinaros, where it will be dismantled in the coming weeks.

"Eleonora" rammed by a supply vessel

At the beginning of June, a 60-metre-long ocean-going supply ship rammed into the "Eleonora" in the port of Tarragona, where the two-master was moored alongside a pier. While travelling over the sternpost, the supply vessel crashed into the starboard side of the 49.5-metre-long schooner with its reverse gear locked. It only took about half an hour before only the masts were sticking out of the water.

Video of the "Eleonora" accident:

Replica of the legendary "westward".

The "Eleonora" is a replica of the legendary "Westward", which was launched by Herreshoff in 1910 and was the largest schooner built in accordance with the International Rule of 1908. The Dutchman Ed Kastelein commissioned the replica after finding the plans. The launch in 2001 was celebrated as a sensation on the scene and became the model for several other replicas of classic schooners such as the "Atlantic", "Elena", "Germania", "Ingomar", "Naema" and "Wolfhound". The "Eleonora" underwent an extensive refit as recently as 2014. She was on the market for 6.9 million pounds.

More on the topic:

• Schooner "Eleonora": rammed and sank at berth

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The Eleonora E. Sinks After Collision

Jun 10, 2022. The Eleonora E at 8.15 am, according to the Marina Port Tárraco authority, was struck by a 60-meter offshore supply ship, who was unable to reverse gear due to an engine failure. A huge open gash in her steel hull marked the sinking. Less than 30 minutes after the ramming, Eleonora E remained lying on the bottom of the port.

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‘Eleonora E’ Salvaged Three Months After Sinking at Dock

In June, the boating world watched as the 162-ft schooner Eleonora E was t-boned at Port Tarraco, in Spain, by a Maritime Rescue boat that had encountered mechanical difficulties. The rescue boat Punta Mayor was reportedly conducting a maneuver when its engines became stuck in reverse. The vessel subsequently drove into the schooner where she lay tied to the dock. Though the schooner’s full complement of crew was onboard no one was injured. However, the ship herself sustained a large hole on her starboard side, took on water, and sank. We’re happy to report that a few weeks ago, Eleonora E was successfully re-floated and hauled out.

The salvage operation was carried out by Ardentia Marine and took three weeks and more than 30 personnel. They began beneath the water with divers assessing the damage and initiating the first repairs. International yacht brokers Boatshed.com described the operation as follows: “Once these first tasks were carried out, a set of balloons were put in place, which, accompanied by two large cranes, straightened the yacht. Repairs then proceeded to the starboard side, where the impact occurred, while a specialist team continued temporary repairs underwater.”

Once the main deck had been raised above the waterline, the flooded compartments were pumped out and the ship regained buoyancy.

Eleonora E  was launched in 2000 as a replica of the 1910 Herreshoff-designed schooner  Westward .

That’s a strange looking FAILURE of the planking… I am interested in knowing more. As a wood boat enthusiast and dabbler in boat building and repair, recreation and the history of wood boats, may I encourage Latitude 38 to expand on the story of rebuilding of this beautiful yacht and add more classic boat resources and articles in the monthly edition. Aloha

I believe the hull of the Eleonora E, as well as the original Westward, was fabricated out of metal.

Thanks Bruce, Even more intriguing….

Looks like a steel boat, not a wood one

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50m schooner Eleonora E struck and sunk by rescue vessel in Tarragona, Spain

The 49 metre sailing yacht  eleonora e  has foundered after being hit by a 60 metre offshore supply vessel in port tárraco, tarragona, spain, related articles more from author, first look: sw 105 taniwha.

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By SuperyachtNews 16 Jan 2023

Accident report outlines details of 63m Utopia IV collision

The ntsb's accident report states that the collision was caused by an inadequate lookout….

On 23 December 2021, the 63m M/Y Utopia IV was involved in a collision with the 49m tanker Tropic Breeze in the Bahamas. The tanker subsequently sank but, fortunately, no lives were lost, and according to various sources, the tanker’s cargo on board included ‘non-persistent materials only’.

While this accident could have been far worse, it should also be highlighted that the initial reports surrounding the incident were limited and somewhat insubstantial considering the gravity of it. A full accident report has now been published by the National Transport Safety Board.

On October 2022, SuperyachtNews published an article which involved an interview with one of the crewmembers who was on board at the time. The anonymous source spoke out against what they deemed to be injustices leading up to, and following on from, the incident.

The report revealed that M/Y Tropic Breeze was loaded with a cargo of 100,000 gallons of high-sulfur marine gas oil (MGO), 22,000 gallons of ultra-low sulfur MGO, 20,000 gallons of gasoline, and 8,500 gallons of liquid petroleum gas. The vessel also carried 6,000 gallons of ultra-low sulfur MGO as bunkers (vessel fuel). All but two cargo tanks were pressed up (full), and there was no ballast on board.

The accident report also noted that just before 22:00, the bosun on the Utopia IV turned his attention to recording the hourly log entries and navigation fix, leaving his back turned to the forward windows (the captain had not yet returned to the wheelhouse, having left at 21:48). About the same time, the Tropic Breeze’s master started toward his cabin, immediately aft of the bridge, to use the restroom. The accident occurred at 22:00:48.

Tanker Tropic Breeze, valued at $5.1 million, sank in 9,300 feet of water, and the lost cargo, valued at $343,881, was not recoverable. M/Y Utopia IV sustained damage including ruptured hull plating above and below the waterline, fractured framing, a compromised double bottom ballast tank, damaged bridge windows, and dislodged and damaged hatches, fittings, and equipment. Total damages were estimated at $2.4 million.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the collision between the yacht Utopia IV and the tank vessel Tropic Breeze was the Utopia IV’s wheelhouse crew not maintaining a proper lookout and therefore not identifying the tank vessel they were overtaking. Contributing was the Tropic Breeze's bridge team also not maintaining a proper lookout.

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The biggest superyacht disasters in 2022

Related articles, superyacht directory.

From devastating fires to shocking sinkings, BOAT rounds up the worst superyacht disasters from 2022...

49m superyacht 007 runs aground in Greece

In the early hours September 3, the 49 metre yacht 007 struck rocks in a small bay on the island of Kythnos, in the Cyclades island chain in Greece. She quickly began taking on water and listed steeply on her port side, jutting out above the waterline around 15 metres from the beach. Pollution prevention measures were put in place within 24 hours, but the yacht remains in the same position as of December 2022, prompting complaints from local residents.

39m superyacht My Saga sinks in Italy

One of the most dramatic yacht disasters of 2022 came when 39 metre My Saga sunk in the Ionian Sea off the coast of southern Italy. She was being towed when the incident took place, after sending out a distress signal in the early hours of the morning to report that she was taking on water. It’s still not clear how the incident occurred, but a representative from a local marina told BOAT International that the seafloor in this region is too deep for the yacht be salvageable. You can watch the moment My Saga sunk below.

59m yacht Idol collides with bridge in Italy

A less dramatic incident saw the 58.9 metre motor yacht Idol collide with a bridge in Pisa, Italy. The bridge typically has an elevation of 11.8 metres above sea level during low tide, but according to eyewitness reports, the yacht attempted to pass during high tide. Minimal damage was sustained.

49m Eleonora E sinks in Spain following collision

In June, the 49 metre Eleonora E sunk after being hit by an offshore supply vessel while she was stationary in the marina. Footage shows the offshore vessel hitting the yacht squarely on its starboard side, after apparently running into mechanical difficulties. Eleonora E remained in the port for several months, before a three-week salvage operation raised her from the seafloor and hauled her away for repairs.

45 metre motor yacht Domani flounders off Washington Coast

Around 45 miles from the coast of Washington, the 45 metre Benetti yacht Domani ran into difficulty. The US Coast Guard reported the yacht’s crew had been unable to close the transom door, resulting in flooding of the beach club that left her disabled and floundering. Emergency services were quick to respond, and the yacht was towed to nearby Port Angeles for repairs.

Brand new 45m superyacht Aria SF goes up in flames in Ibiza

Fresh from delivery from Italian yard ISA, the 45 metre Aria SF caught fire in a busy anchorage in Formentera, Ibiza. Eyewitness accounts reported smoke originating from the area around her main saloon, and within minutes the yacht’s superstructure was engulfed in flames. She was towed away from other yachts to prevent damage, and sunk close to Cap Martinet, in Ibiza. Local news have been reporting on the ongoing efforts to remove the yacht’s hull from its current resting place.

Yacht damaged by Coast Guard in alleged drug smuggling operation

In July, shocking images showed the result of a clash between a 27 metre superyacht named Belgor and a Coast Guard patrol vessel in Turkey. The incident is alleged to be part of a drug smuggling operation, with the Coast Guard attempting to investigate reports indicating the presence of drugs on board the yacht in Muğla, close to Bodrum. The yacht then attempted to leave the waters of Turkey and the Coast Guard pursued, before finally opening fire and ramming the yacht.

25m motor yacht sinks off Chub Cay in the Bahamas

A 25 metre motor yacht, believed to be a popular Ferretti Yachts 830 model, was spotted submerged off the coast of Chub Cay in the Bahamas. The yacht reportedly hit a shallow reef and sank quickly, in an incident that bore some similarities to the sinking of another 25 metre motor yacht in April 2021.

Fire destroys 27m Sanlorenzo superyacht in Valencia

In April, a fire destroyed a 27 metre Sanlorenzo SX88 model named Pesa in the Port de Valencia, on Spain’s eastern coast. Six separate fire crews were called to tackle the blaze and it was eventually distinguished — however it’s understood the yacht is a total loss. After 12 hours of burning, the yacht sunk in the port.

Yacht damaged in fire at the Ferretti shipyard in Cattolica

At the start of the year, a fire at one of Ferretti Group’s Cattolica shipyard caused significant damage to a motor yacht under construction. No-one was injured thanks to the “immediate implementation of safety procedures” and the cause of the fire is subject to an investigation.

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The 5 tragic minutes that sank a superyacht

PORTICELLO, Italy — Survivors of a storm that sank a superyacht off Sicily recounted their ordeal to one of the doctors who rushed to their aid, with some saying it took mere minutes for the 180-foot ship to go down. 

Dr. Fabio Genco, head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, told NBC News on the phone Thursday that he arrived in the seaside village of Porticello before dawn Monday, about an hour after the $40 million Bayesian sank in the violent and sudden storm.   

Of the 22 people onboard, 15 survived despite storm conditions and darkness, climbing onto a lifeboat before being rescued by a nearby sailboat. The crew members have made no public statements so far, though some have been interviewed by investigators.

“They told me that it was all dark, that the yacht hoisted itself up and then went down,” Genco said, recounting what the survivors told him. “All the objects were falling on them. That’s why I immediately made sure, by asking them questions, if they had any internal injuries,” he said. 

It appears they had just minutes to abandon the sinking ship, Genco said. 

“They told me that suddenly they found themselves catapulted into the water without even understanding how they had got there,” he said, “And that the whole thing seems to have lasted from 3 to 5 minutes.”

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini Navi, the Bayesian's shipbuilder, told Sky News that there were no flaws with the design or construction of the yacht. He said their structure and keel made boats like that “unsinkable bodies.”

In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he disavowed responsibility, blaming instead the actions of the crew. “Mistakes were made,” he said. 

Genco said one of his colleagues who arrived at the scene before him initially thought that only three people survived, but the coast guard reported there were other survivors and more emergency services were called in. 

When Genco arrived, he found scenes of panic and despair. 

“Unfortunately, we are used to such panic scenes because we are used to the shipwrecks that happen on Lampedusa ,” Genco said, referring to the island southwest of Sicily, where the wreckage of boats carrying migrants on the sea journey from North Africa to Italy are often found . 

Six of the passengers were declared missing Monday, and by Thursday, the bodies of five had been recovered from the wreck , some 160 feet underwater.

Among those who survived is Angela Bacares, wife of the British tech mogul Mike Lynch , whose body was recovered Thursday. 

Another survivor has been identified as Charlotte Emsley, 35. She told the Italian news agency ANSA that she had momentarily lost hold of her year-old daughter, Sofia, in the water but managed to retrieve her and hold her over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were pulled into safety.

Dr. Domenico Cipolla at the Di Cristina Children’s Hospital in Palermo is also part of a team of medical professionals treating the shipwreck survivors. He told the BBC on Wednesday that Emsley and her daughter, as well as the father of the child, who Cipolla said also survived, are continuing to receive psychological help. 

“Psychological support was constant and is constant even today, because basically it is the wounds of the soul that are the most in need of healing in these cases,” Cipolla said.

Genco also told NBC News that he was especially concerned about the child. “She did not understand anything. She was soaking wet and cold,” he said. 

Karsten Borner, the Dutch captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, a yacht that was anchored near the Bayesian, said by phone Wednesday that he saw a thunderstorm come in at around 4 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET) Monday, followed by what looked like a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms over water. 

The International Centre for Waterspout Research noted on X that there was a “waterspout outbreak” off Italy on Monday, the day the Bayesian sank. 

“I turned on the engine and made maneuvers so that we wouldn’t collide with the Bayesian, which was anchored about 100 meters from us,” Borner said. “Then all of a sudden it disappeared. Then the wind calmed down, we looked around and saw a red flare.”

Borner said he got into his boat’s tender and saw a life raft with 15 people on it. Members of the crew were administering first aid. 

“I don’t know why it sank so quickly, but it may have something to do with the mast which was incredibly long,” he said. Questions have been raised about whether the mast was to blame for the accident as tall masts, even with the sails down, have more surface area exposed to the wind, which can contribute to tipping a vessel in a storm.

The CCTV footage that emerged Tuesday showed the yacht’s 250-foot mast, believed to be one of the tallest aluminum sailing masts in the world, lashed by the storm as it appears to tilt to one side before disappearing.

Claudia Rizzo is an Italy based journalist.

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.