ZAGREB: A tragic collision between a large passenger catamaran and a sailboat in Croatia's central Adriatic Sea on Sunday has resulted in the deaths of three Czech citizens, with one person still missing, officials reported.
Czech Victims Confirmed
A Czech foreign ministry spokesman confirmed the devastating news, stating, "We were struck by the incredibly sad news of the death of at least three Czech citizens after a collision between a yacht and a catamaran in Croatia." The Czech consul is present at the scene, and spokesman Adam Corgo extended condolences to the victims' families.
Details of the Accident
The accident occurred in the waters between the central islands of Solta and Brac. According to the Croatian sea and transport ministry, a "passenger vessel operated by a private domestic company collided with a French-flagged sailboat, which then sank." The passenger vessel carried 118 passengers and 7 crew members, while the sailboat had 8 people on board. Three of the sailboat's occupants were killed, one remains missing, and the other four were rescued from the sea.
Official Responses
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic expressed condolences to the victims' families and his Czech counterpart Andrej Babis. He stated, "An intensive search for one person is still ongoing," in a post on X. Split harbourmaster Zeljko Kustera told state-run broadcaster HRT that a Croatian navy underwater drone located the sunken sailboat at a depth of over 50 meters (164 feet), and the missing person is believed to still be inside the vessel.
