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Billionaire's Superyacht Crashes Into Bridge on Caribbean Island in Viral Video

A combination of adverse wind and current conditions reportedly caused the superyacht, named Ecstasea, to swerve into the bridge

Jason Hahn is a former Human Interest and Sports Reporter for PEOPLE. He started at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter in 2017 and interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. He has a B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City.

A massive superyacht slammed into a bridge in the Caribbean country of Sint Maarten last weekend, and the jaw-dropping crash was captured in a video that has gone viral on social media.

According to Boat International , a combination of adverse wind and current conditions caused the superyacht, named Ecstasea, to swerve right and collide into a portion of the Simpson Bay Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

In footage of the incident, the ship is seen ripping a control booth from the bridge as onlookers watch from just a few yards away. An operator jumps out of the booth just before it is torn away.

“F—ing hell!” someone can be heard saying in the video as the booth falls into the harbor.

The ship appeared to be undamaged despite the impact.

“It was tricky — the vessel had some difficulties,” Simpson Bay Lagoon Corporation project manager Bertrand Peters told Boat International . “The impact took out the booth but the controls and gear were all intact so the bridge remains fully operational and opening times will not be affected.”

As noted by the New York Post , the superyacht — currently owned by Pakistani billionaire Alshair Fiyaz — is 282 feet long, has its own movie theater, spa and multiple bars. It has a crew of 24 , according to Maritime Bulletin. It’s unknown if Fiyaz was on board at the time of the incident.

The ship was initially built for Russian-Israeli businessman Roman Abramovich in 2004 , the New Zealand Herald reported. It was reportedly sold five years later to Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi for $180 million, and Fiyaz purchased it in 2014.

Sint Maarten is located in the southern part of an island shared by Saint Martin, and is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

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Now that’s too close for comfort.

An enormous luxury superyacht recently crashed into a bridge in St. Maarten, and must-see video footage of the accident has gone viral on social media.

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On Sunday afternoon, the ship's captain reportedly lost control of the 282-foot yacht, named Ecstasea, as it entered Simpson Bay Lagoon while the Simpson Bay Bridge was open. While passing beneath the bridge, the superyacht veered right and its observation deck ripped off the bridge’s control booth.

Adverse weather conditions, including gale force winds, allegedly factored into causing the crash, Boat International reports.

No one was injured in the accident. People on the observation platform rushed out of the way as the Ecstasea’s bow sped by them, and the bridge operator quickly jumped out of the booth just before it got side-swiped, video footage shows.

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Remarkably, the bridge’s operational controls were not damaged during the mishap, and the bridge is still fully functional, Simpson Bay Lagoon Corporation project manager Bertrand Peters said.

“It was tricky – the vessel had some difficulties. The impact took out the booth but the controls and gear were all intact so the bridge remains fully operational and opening times will not be affected,” Peters commented. “Visitors are therefore still being welcomed to enter the bay.”

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Video footage of the unbelievable collision has since gone viral on Twitter, receiving over 4.8 million views and 46,000 shares as of Thursday morning.

Some of the commenters were also amused by two wine-drinking women who didn’t move from their seats near the bridge’s railing as the Ecstasea swerved dangerously close. Some users agreed that the onlookers evoked "the level of chill" they personally wanted to channel in 2020.

The impressive Ecstasea superyacht was once owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who sold it to the crown prince of Abu Dhabi in 2009 for $120 million, The Sun reports. It traded hands again when it was purchased by entrepreneur Alshair Fiyaz in 2014.

The impressive Ecstasea superyacht can comfortably accommodate up to 15 guests and 27 crew members. (Getty)

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The Ecstasea was delivered to her first owner in 2004 and can comfortably accommodate up to 15 guests and 27 crew members, per Yacht Charter Fleet . The ship reportedly boasts WiFi, a deck Jacuzzi, a gym and air conditioning.

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Out-of-control super yacht crashes into Caribbean bridge keeper's booth

Crunch: Ecstasea came into trouble navigating the Simpson's Bay Bridge on Sint Maarten. Photo / Supplied

On Sunday an 86-metre super yacht formerly owned by Roman Abramovich went careening into the bridge master's booth in Simpson's Bay Lagoon, in the Caribbean.

The ship named Ecstasea was recorded clipping a control booth of the raising bridge that controls entry to the lagoon on the island of St Maarten.

The footage from a bystander's phone shows the concrete cabin buckle then fall into the water, colliding against the $180m pleasure craft with an ear-splitting crunch. It's the sound of schadenfreude.

View this post on Instagram And then this just happened, thankfully everyone is said to be okay. The exact cause of the accident is still unclear but this is 1 of multiple yachts to have collided with narrow opening of the bridge in the past few years Vid submitted to me an anonymous source. A post shared by Alex J (@theyachtguy) on Dec 15, 2019 at 11:59am PST

Entering the bay on Sunday afternoon at around 3pm, it is believed that currents and wind conditions caused the private boat to lose control.

The footage recorded from the Sint Maarten Yacht club shows at least six witnesses in the path of the 2000 gross tonnage ship. Two remain seated, apparently stunned by the chaos unfolding in front of them.

Just seconds before impact the bridge controller can be seen getting out of the booth before it is destroyed.

Fortunately no one was harmed in the incident. In spite of damage sustained by the bridge and the front of the multi-million-dollar boat, the bridge will remain in operation.

Simpson Bay Lagoon Corporation project manager Bertrand Peters told Boat International:

"It was tricky – the vessel had some difficulties. The impact took out the booth but the controls and gear were all intact so the bridge remains fully operational and opening times will not be affected."

This is not the first time that a boat has been damaged sailing through the narrow passageway. Simpson's Bay Bridge is getting a reputation as a difficult stretch to navigate.

The boat Ecstasea was first commissioned by Russian-Israeli businessman Roman Abramovich in 2004. Built by the First Export Association of Dutch Shipbuilders FEADShip, at the time it was the largest ship constructed by the group.

Since 2009 the boat has exchange hands between some of the world's most wealthy individuals. It was reportedly sold to Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan the crown prince of Abu Dhabi for $180m, who in turn sold it to Pakistani shipping magnate Alshair Fiyaz, the current owner.

It is not known whether Fiyaz was on board at the time of the incident. The Ecstasea has seven cabins and room to accommodate 14 guests, plus crew.

She was one of 45 privately owned super yachts to visit the Bahamas this year.

A super yacht is defined as a professionally crewed, luxury craft between 24 and 180 metres in length.

In spite of the islands' size, St Maarten and the Bahamas are the sixth busiest destination in the world for super yachts according to Bloomberg. According to the magazine's Yacht Tracker, 55 per cent of these were new vessels.

Perhaps this incident would suggest the waters around Sint Maarten are getting a bit too crowded.

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Massive out of control super yacht that once belonged to Roman Abramovich accidentally rips Caribbean dock apart

• Published : 10:41, 17 Dec 2019
• Published : Invalid Date,

A MASSIVE super yacht that once belonged to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has accidentally ripped a Caribbean dock apart after its captain lost control.

Tourists enjoying the view were filmed running away from the edge of Simpson Bay Bridge, Sint Maarten at around 3pm on Sunday when the swerving vessel began to speed up.

The 282ft Feadship superyacht Ecstasea entered the bay during the bridge opening.

It is believed fierce weather conditions including gale force winds pushed the yachtto the side, eventually pushing it into the control booth.

So as it cruised under the bridge, the yacht's obersavion platform tore through the booth, forcing the booth to fall into the water.

The booth operator managed to jump out of the booth just in time. No one was injured eduring the incident.

Simpson Bay Lagoon Corporation project manager Bertrant Peters told Boat International: "It was tricky - the vessel had some difficulties.

"The impact took out the booth but the controls and gear were all intact so the bridge remains fully operational and opening times will not be affected."

No one was injured during the incident.

The bridge remains in full function and visitors are still being welcome.

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Abramovich sold the vessel to Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi for $120million in 2009.

Sheikh Mohammed then sold it to the shipping company Fiyaz in 2014.

The Chelsea owner has another superyacht called Eclipse, and it's worth £80million.

He bought it a year after he sold his first vessel.

The 533ft Eclipse has 24 guest cabins, two swimming pools, hot tubs, a sauna - and even a nightclub.

It cost just shy of £300million when he picked up the keys in 2010 – and at the time it was the biggest private yacht in the world.

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43m superyacht Baca collides with Simpson Bay bridge

A video circulating on social media shows the 43.4 metre superyacht Royal Denship Baca colliding with the bridge entrance at Simpson Bay, on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten yesterday (January 8, 2023).

The video shows the yacht hitting the bridge on its starboard side, damaging the control booth and causing the yacht to heel temporarily on its port side. No one on shore was injured during the incident and the footage shows the crew continue to operate the yacht after the collision into Simpson Bay Lagoon. She remains there as of January 9.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by YIR - Yachting Channel (@yachtinginternationalradio)

The cause of the incident remains unclear, but it is understood that windy weather conditions could have contributed. However, this is not the first time a yacht has collided with the bridge at Simpson Bay — in 2019, the 86m superyacht Ecstasea suffered a similar incident .

A statement released by Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority (SLAC) said that the booth incurred "severe structural damage" and "wires leading to the operations consoles" were also damaged after the incident. The yacht crash occurred at 5pm local time and the bridge was fully operational by 8.30am the next day.

The extent of the damage to the superyacht is not yet known.

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The superyacht Ecstasea crashing into a bridge in St Maarten

The bridge’s control room is efficiently destroyed. The two cool people up front donot bother to stand up but remain seated to watch the show from close by. Azipod ran rampant?

I’ve been through that bridge many times. It gets quite windy sometimes.

I can hear c.captain’s screeching about “effing yachties” in Puget Sound all the way from Mexico…

All the more reason to pull that sally port closed.

Slightly different viewpoint, runs longer: https://youtu.be/qFJzYuqWtwI

This is a photo of Steve Jobs’ super-yacht going through the draw-bridge some time ago. Note there isn’t a lot of room to spare. Edit: The bridge should have 56’ horizontal clearance and Ecstasea is only 38’ (about the same as Jobs’ in the photo) according to what I found, so there would have been some clearance.

It’s tight, and the channel approaching from W (to enter the lagoon) is slightly off line from the bridge. Need a wee kick stern to stbd for final line up, but not so much that you put your stbd running gear on the rocks as your come over. 12-13m beam is the biggest I’ve taken through (17m gap). Seen a few of the yacht club views - here’s another taken from the road bridge of the approach. Watch the deckie duck in from the fwd mooring platform!

[edited: https://www.facebook.com/1176651945/posts/10220323264129849/ ]

We only got a screenshot instead of a link to a clip…

This gives a better overview of the situation, Apart from touching the dolphin at the port side they manage to squeeze through.

There is more funny stuff to see at Sint Maarten! I suppose that in any other country they would declare that part of the beach as an off limits area…

That’s odd, works here! Try this (uncompressed) url…

Unless there’s a blocker of some sort.

In the Utopia vid (albeit exiting lagoon, not entering) you can clearly see the offset of the channel to/from the bay. Utopia was dealing with a NE’ly breeze too!

It would have been helpful to use the port bowthruster. Maybe they did but it is hard to see.

Watch in the first few seconds that guy stepping out of the control room just in time to safety!

Why did they leave that forward hatch door in that lowered position? They really messed it up pretty good.

I hear Chuck Norris is the current owner.

Those two Women: Nerves of steel, or deliciously intoxicated!!!

Neither, they just knew there was no way in the world that boat or any part of it could come anywhere near them.

Spec sheet says it has conventional drives plus water jet for the gas turbines (I’m assuming). Says no thrusters either. Must not be complete if the picture shows thruster wash. Unless that is just the wake off the bow and it has no thrusters. That would seem unusual for a 282’ boat.

Cut through bridge is 17m wide. Beam is 11.5m so that leaves about 9’ on either side for clearance.

Looks like a thruster working in the video. The way the thruster wash is trailing aft suggests they were going too fast for it to be effective.

It would if the boat were in the center of the cut, the video clearly shows the bow was far to the right side of centerline - so far that that it hit the bridge within a few feet of the bow.

That passage was a lost cause long before the allision.

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ECSTASEA yacht NOT for charter*

86m  /  282'2 | feadship | 2004 / 2011.

Owner & Guests

Cabin Configuration

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Special Features:

• Two helicopter decks
• Fully equipped gymnasium
• Kaleidascape on-demand system
• Huge selection of water toys
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• Impressive interior volume
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The award winning 86m/282'2" motor yacht 'Ecstasea' was built by Feadship in the Netherlands at their De Kaag shipyard. Her interior is styled by English designer design house Terence Disdale and she was completed in 2004. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Terence Disdale and she was last refitted in 2011.

Guest Accommodation

Ecstasea has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 15 guests in 8 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 24 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

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Her features include beach club, gym, deck jacuzzi, WiFi and air conditioning.

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Built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks, she benefits from a semi-displacement hull to provide exceptional seakeeping and impressive speeds. Powered by 1 x gas turbine General Electric (LM 2500) 30,843hp engines, she comfortably cruises at 14 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 33 knots with a range of up to 5,000 nautical miles from her 256,500 litre fuel tanks at 15 knots. Ecstasea features at-anchor stabilizers providing exceptional comfort levels. Her water tanks store around 96,140 Litres of fresh water. She was built to Lloyds Register ✠100A1 SSC Yacht (P), Mono HSG, G6, LMC, UMS, SCM classification society rules, and is MCA Compliant.

PRIVATE YACHT - "Ecstasea" IS NOT FOR CHARTER

Sorry, motor yacht "Ecstasea" is a strictly Private yacht and is NOT available for Charter. Click here to view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting another luxury charter yacht.

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Ecstasea Photos

Ecstasea Awards & Nominations

• International Superyacht Society Awards 2005 Best Power Interior Winner

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NOTE TO U.S. CUSTOMS & BORDER PROTECTION

Due to the international and fluid nature of the yachting business and the fact there is no global central industry listing service to which all charter yachts subscribe it is impossible to ascertain a truly up-to-date view of the market. We are a news and information service and not always informed when yachts leave the charter market, or when they are recently sold and renamed it is not clear if they are still for charter. Whilst we use our best endeavors to maintain accurate information, the existence of a listing on this website should in no way supersede official documentation supplied by representatives of a yacht.

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M/Y Ecstasea

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Unconventional, remarkable and a defining moment in custom yacht building, Ecstasea was launched in 2004 by Feadship and sports a distinctive De Voogt Naval Architecture design. The largest launch from The Netherlands at the time, her powerful exterior signature cuts through the waves with ease thanks to a hull built to push past an incredible speed of 30 knots.

For 86 metres, this yacht offers more than meets the eye thanks to both her capabilities on the water and comfort on board. Her Terence Disdale Design throughout the interior spaces creates a homely space with rich woods, welcoming tones and a sense of global citizenship to create a home anywhere in the world.

Refitted in 2009, this is a yacht withstanding the technological race and features a completely hidden helicopter hangar and space to accommodate a further helicopter on the aft. A wealth of cutting-edge tenders and toys are available to enjoy the water, and cinema, steamroom and gym for a more relaxing option.

Ecstasea can accommodate up to 14 guests in 7 cabins with 25 crew on hand to make life on board this Feadship yacht an idyllic break away, and thanks to high speeds and shallow draft, she provides those on board with a choice of any destination.

• Yacht Builder Feadship View profile
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US alleges sanctioned Russian oligarch’s niece made payments for his $300M yacht

The yacht, known as the Amadea, was seized by officials in 2022, with the U.S. alleging billionaire Putin ally Suleiman Kerimov is the ultimate beneficial owner.

U.S. authorities claim to be one step closer to proving a seized $300 million mega yacht is owned by sanctioned Russian Suleiman Kerimov, according to new court filings that detail alleged payments for the boat from the oligarch’s niece.

The yacht, a 348-foot luxury vessel known as Amadea, was seized in Fiji in 2022 by local officials at the request of the United States, as part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to identify and seize assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Kerimov, known for throwing lavish parties and for his reportedly close relationship with Vladimir Putin, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018. Britain and the European Union later followed suit.

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However, since the Amadea’s seizure, another Russian oligarch, Eduard Khudainatov, who is not currently under U.S. sanctions, has claimed to be the yacht’s rightful owner — an assertion U.S. authorities deny.

Prosecutors allege that new documents show Kerimov’s niece, Alisa Gadzhieva, entered into a loan agreement with the company that owns the yacht, Errigal Marine Limited, and then made two payments to Khudainatov’s holding company, Invest International Finance Ltd, Intelligence Online reported .

“The United States takes sanction evasion seriously and will use all tools at its disposal to ensure that sanctioned individuals are held accountable for their crimes,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in an earlier statement . 

The ship belongs to an array of high-value luxury items linked to Kerimov, including private jets and sportscars, like a $650,000 Ferrari that Kerimov totaled in a fiery crash on the French Riviera in 2006. 

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The yacht’s seizure followed ICIJ’s Pandora Papers, which included revelations on the offshore financial empire of Kerimov and his closest associates. The investigation showed billions of dollars flowing through opaque offshore shell companies associated with Kerimov, and covert money flows tied to oligarchs and others close to the Kremlin. It also highlighted offshore professionals who have helped oligarchs secretly buy luxury assets like yachts and jets.

Gadzhieva’s brother, Kerimov’s nephew Nariman Gadzhiev, is also under U.S. sanctions for allegedly serving as an assistant and financial facilitator for Kerimov. ICIJ’s reporting showed that, in 2012, a firm registered in Gadzhiev’s name worked with Credit Suisse to secure a $67 million loan for the acquisition of a custom-built Boeing 737 Business Jet as well as a Bombardier Global Express jet. A few years later, an article in Forbes Russia described Kerimov as owning the same kind of Boeing jet.

The Amadea, which is currently in U.S. custody, has already cost over $7 million in taxpayer funds to maintain while the legal battle plays out, The Guardian reported.  

By SuperyachtNews 10 Jun 2022

VIDEO: 49m S/Y Eleonora E sinks following collision with supply vessel

No injuries reported after eleonora e is struck by a 60m supply vessel in port tarraco….

Image credit: @PortTarragona

At roughly 8.15 am local time, the 49m replica of a classic 1910 schooner sunk after being struck by the 60m supply vessel ‘Punta Mayor’ in Port Tarraco. The vessel became submerged in less than half an hour and the cause for the collision came after the vessel 'Punta Mayor' started an exit manoeuvre and found that the main engines were blocked with the engine in reverse. 

The captain of the supply vessel attempted to prevent the collision by stopping the main engines and anchoring the vessel with both anchors.

El video pic.twitter.com/ab4eBcmaVb — JMC (@MaLajovir) June 10, 2022

The superyacht was moored when the collision took place and the fire brigade and Guardia Civil have been dispatched to aid the ongoing situation. 

Unfortunately, the efforts of the captain onboard Eleonora E weren’t enough to save the sailing yacht. Eleonora E was struck on the midship of the starboard side of the hull. Luckily no injuries have been reported from either Eleonora E or Punta Mayor. 

En aquests moments, els @bomberscat inspeccionen el vaixell sinistrat per, posteriorment, assegurar-lo amb caps nous. pic.twitter.com/FRtlBSzWDs — Port Tarragona (@PortTarragona) June 10, 2022

The port has placed barriers around the sunken superyacht to prevent any fuel spills or further collisions with other vessels in the area.

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5 years ago

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