On the evening of June 16, the high-speed ferry Melita sank off the coast of Croatia with 38 passengers and 5 crew members on board. The incident occurred shortly before 10:00 PM local time, just minutes before the vessel was scheduled to dock at the port of Zadar.
According to initial reports, heavy waves caused a crack in the ferry’s hull, leading to rapid water ingress. All passengers and crew were promptly evacuated onto a life raft.
Rescue efforts were quickly coordinated, with the ferry Jadran, operated by the state-owned company Jadrolinija, and a rescue vessel dispatched by the Port Authority of Zadar, arriving to assist. No injuries or casualties were reported. The rescued individuals were safely transported to the nearby port of Gaženica.
The Melita ferry was built in 1985 and sails under the Croatian flag. It measures 27.01 meters in length and 9.1 meters in width.
