A serious maritime accident occurred in the Danish port of Korsør involving the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo vessel Olympus Trader. During a maneuver, the ship struck the sailing yacht Niddasche before colliding with the quay and damaging port infrastructure.
The incident took place on June 8, when the 104-metre cargo vessel, arriving from Wismar, Germany, was maneuvering without a pilot on board. During the operation, the vessel’s stern hit the yacht, destroying its mast and rigging.
A married couple in their seventies, who owned the yacht, were on board at the time of the collision. To avoid injury, both jumped into the water. Fortunately, neither of them was hurt.
After hitting the yacht, Olympus Trader continued moving and subsequently struck the pier, causing damage to the port facilities and knocking down three light poles.
The damage to the yacht is estimated at approximately €100,000. No injuries were reported.
Following the incident, Danish authorities boarded the vessel and carried out alcohol and drug tests on the crew. According to investigators, the Russian chief officer, who was reportedly in charge of the maneuver, tested positive.
The vessel was temporarily detained for inspection, and the officer was charged under Danish maritime law. He was later released after providing blood samples, but if found guilty, he could face up to two years in prison.
The Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Interestingly, the accident occurred shortly after the vessel’s arrival in port, and the collision caused damage not only to the privately owned yacht but also to port infrastructure, potentially increasing the overall financial claims resulting from the incident.
