Shocking Moment £10 Million Superyacht Collides with Cruise Ship in Bahamas
In a jaw-dropping moment captured on video, a £10 million superyacht named Aurora collided with the colossal Allure of the Seas cruise ship in Nassau Harbour, Bahamas, leaving onlookers stunned. The incident unfolded on December 12 as horrified passengers aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise ship witnessed the 121-foot yacht veer diagonally into the vessel.
Collision Caught on Camera
Footage captured by passengers reveals the Aurora slowly but surely drifting toward the giant cruise ship, 1,187 feet long. Panicked voices ring out in the background as one passenger exclaims:
- "That's for sure about to hit us. They're hitting us. Oh no, they're going to hit us!
Within seconds, the superyacht slammed into the cruise ship with a thunderous explosion of sound, its hull scraping along the side of the Allure of the Seas. The resulting cacophony of screeching and creaking sounds was deafening as the yacht's mast struck a lifeboat on the cruise ship, damaging its radar dome and sending debris scattering across the scene.
Eyewitness Account
Dayanni Bhagwandin, a passenger who recorded the shocking incident, spoke of the moment of the collision:
- "When it got to about a third of the way past the cruise ship as it was entering the port, it suddenly swung right and just kept coming closer. The yacht kept going along the cruise, so I guess it kind of just kept hitting it and touching the side as it moved forward. Then eventually, it went on to the port.
A visibly shaken crew member on the Aurora was in a rush to lower the fenders, trying to prevent further damage to the yacht. The passengers watched in a mix of shock and amusement as one passenger asked the crew member if he was okay, while another joked that the man would probably lose his job over the incident.
Minimal Damage to the Cruise Ship
Fortunately, the Allure of the Seas suffered only minor damage in the collision and was able to depart Nassau Harbour after a mere 40-minute delay. The Aurora wasn't quite so lucky. Reports suggest the yacht lost its antenna mast and radar and suffered extensive structural damage.
Despite the severity of the crash, no injuries were reported, and authorities have not confirmed if any guests were aboard the yacht at the time.
Possible Cause: Mechanical Failure?
While investigations into the cause of the accident are still ongoing, experts indicate it could have been a result of a mechanical failure on the Aurora. The police were seen boarding the yacht just moments after the incident to investigate.
Aurora: A Luxury Yacht Now in Disrepair
The Aurora is a £10.5 million ($13.5 million)-valued Nordhavn 120 series. The luxury yacht displaces 414 tons and can sleep ten guests in five opulent bedrooms, one of which is a private master suite situated on the main deck of the vessel. But it presently remains docked at Nassau, where substantial repairs are being carried out from the collision.
Final Thoughts
While the Allure of the Seas and its passengers escaped relatively unscathed, the same cannot be said for the Aurora. It is a rare and unfortunate incident that underlines very real risks associated with navigating busy harbors, even for the most luxurious vessels.
Investigations are still underway, and further details about the cause of the accident may surface over the days. For now, the onlooker and passenger are left with the shocking memory of a superyacht gone astray in one of the world's most beautiful harbors.