utopia 4 yacht accident

• Loss Prevention
• Maritime Health

ISWAN: Yacht crew faces significant mental health struggle

Ikarian Diet: How to eat for longevity

ReCAAP ISC: Two incidents of armed robbery 6 – 12 August

Lessons learned: Foot injury on telescoping gangway

• Intellectual

Book Review: Emotional intelligence 2.0

Book Review: How to win friends and influence people

Gender Diversity in Maritime: Positive strides made but challenges still exist

• Green Shipping
• Ship Recycling

Thailand tries to divert containers carrying hazardous waste

OPEC: Petroleum is essential to boost electrification

Busan Port completes Korea’s first simultaneous LNG bunkering

GMS: The world is in need of a serious break

• Connectivity
• Cyber Security
• E-navigation
• Energy Efficiency
• Maritime Software

How AI will affect future workforce: Key considerations for shipping

New program enhances understanding of underwater noise

Liberia launches platform to ensure compliance and security

IMO launches toolkit to aid in cyber security

UK MCA: Foreign flagged ships detained in the UK during July 2024

CiC on Crew Wages and Seafarer Employment Agreement: A best practice guide

Israel detains vessel over inhumane conditions onboard

Malaysia detains vessel for illegal sand dredging

• Diversity in shipping
• Maritime Knowledge
• Sustainability

Building safety culture: Dos and don’ts for ensuring safety during maintenance and testing of lifeboats

Building safety culture: Dos and don’ts for hotwork

ISL: Record-breaking car handling in ports worldwide

Building safety culture: Dos and don’ts for safe navigation

Walking the walk for women in shipping

Mintra: Game development & technological advancements in maritime training

Wellness Corner: Sidsel Norvik, Nor-Shipping

Trending tags.

• Book Review
• Career Paths
• Human Performance
• Industry Voices
• Maritime History
• Regulatory Update
• Seafarers Stories
• Training & Development
• Wellness Corner
• Wellness Tips

NTSB Investigation: Yacht’s improper lookout leads to collision with tanker

Credit: NTSB

NTSB published its accident report on the collision between the private Yacht Utopia IV and the tanker Tropic Breeze, on December 23, 2021, Northeast Providence Channel, 20 miles northwest of Nassau, Bahamas.

The incident

O n December 23, 2021, at 1800, the Tropic Breeze departed Clifton Pier on New Providence Island at a speed of 5 knots en route to Great Stirrup Cay—a voyage north-northwest that was estimated to take 12 hours. The vessel was loaded with a cargo of 100,000 gallons of high-sulfur marine gas oil (MGO), 22,000 gallons of ultra-low sulfur MGO, 20,000 gallons of gasoline, and 8,500 gallons of liquid petroleum gas. The vessel also carried 6,000 gallons of ultra-low sulfur MGO as bunkers (vessel fuel). All but two cargo tanks were pressed up (full), and there was no ballast on board. The vessel’s loaded draft was 7.5 feet (hull depth of 9.8 feet). The vessel had a crew of seven, and according to the master, “everything on the bridge was working.”

At 2030, the Utopia IV weighed anchor offshore of Albany (on New Providence Island) and got underway toward Bimini Island (about 160 miles away) at a speed of about 20 knots. The captain’s planned route took the vessel around the west side of New Providence Island and north of the Berry Islands. The yacht carried 7 passengers in addition to 12 crewmembers. The captain conned the vessel while the bosun navigated and kept a bridge log. The bosun stated that the weather was clear, but bow spray made it more difficult to see outside from inside the wheelhouse and required intermittent use of bridge window wipers. According to the bosun, the Utopia IV’s plumb bow allowed more water to collect on deck and the windshield. The display for one of the vessel’s radars (S-band) was inoperative; the other radar (X-band) was set to a 3-mile scale.

Related News

Lessons learned: finger injury due to high-pressure air.

The Utopia IV had a forward masthead light mounted on a telescoping mast that could be retracted into the deck when not in use. According to the captain, a mechanical issue prevented the mast from being completely extended during the casualty voyage.

About 2100, the captain stated that he left the wheelhouse with a radio to check on the passengers. He returned to the wheelhouse before departing again at 2148 to check on the passengers. He stated that he saw no visual, automatic identification system (AIS), or radar targets before departing. The captain told investigators he expected the bosun to maneuver as necessary for traffic; however, the bosun stated his understanding was that he first had to radio the captain to receive permission to maneuver the vessel. The bosun told investigators that while he was alone in the wheelhouse after the captain’s departure, he did not see any visual, radar, or AIS targets.

On board the Tropic Breeze, the master and an able seafarer (AB) were on watch on the bridge. According to the crew, the Tropic Breeze’s AIS had a power issue, worked only intermittently, and was scheduled to be repaired as soon as COVID precautions allowed a technician to travel to the vessel. The vessel also had two radars: the master stated that one was off at the time, and the other was set to a 3-mile scale. The master had the radar set to alarm for targets within 2 miles. The crew stated that the mast atop the bridge blocked the radar sweep aft, so the radar display showed a shadow area directly astern. (After the casualty, the master stated that he did not see the Utopia IV on the radar.) The master had set up the autopilot earlier in the evening, and according to the AB, there were no course changes during his watch.

Just before 2200, the bosun on the Utopia IV turned his attention to recording the hourly log entries and navigation fix, leaving his back turned to the forward windows (the captain had not yet returned to the wheelhouse, having left at 2148). About the same time, the Tropic Breeze’s master started toward his cabin, immediately aft of the bridge, to use the restroom.

At 2200:48, a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera in the Utopia IV’s galley captured equipment and crew suddenly propelled forward as the bow of the Utopia IV (traveling at about 20 knots) struck the transom of the Tropic Breeze (traveling at about 5 knots) from directly astern, slightly to port of the tank vessel’s centerline. Several of the yacht’s crew were thrown to the deck or into bulkheads as Utopia IV struck the tank vessel at a relative speed of about 15 knots; three crewmembers sustained minor injuries. The Utopia IV’s captain was in the main dining area and was thrown into the “forward bulkhead and door frame.”

The Utopia IV’s chief stewardess told investigators she saw the Tropic Breeze’s navigation lights illuminated post-collision. According to the Utopia IV’s crew, the Utopia IV’s lights were all on.

The Tropic Breeze’s chief engineer investigated the tanker’s damage. He found the engine room was flooding rapidly. He went to the bridge and reported the flooding to the master; he stated that he did not see the source of flooding, but the engine had stopped once it was submerged. About 2215, 15 minutes after the collision, the captain made a VHF distress call and decided to abandon the vessel because he did not believe the Tropic Breeze could survive a flooded engine room. The crew launched the rescue boat and a liferaft (the rafts were stowed aft of the bridge on the same deck). One or two crewmembers boarded the rescue boat, and the remainder of the crew boarded the liferaft.

The Utopia IV’s chief engineer restarted the yacht’s engines, which had shut down after the collision. The chief mate, who had come to the wheelhouse, made a distress call by VHF radio. The Utopia IV was maneuvered to recover the Tropic Breeze’s crew, and the stern swim platform was lowered to allow them to board; however, sea swells and the height of the platform prevented them from boarding.

The yacht Amara heard three VHF distress calls from the Utopia IV (the crew on watch did not hear any from the Tropic Breeze), and the Royal Bahamian Defense Forces (which fulfill a role similar to the US Coast Guard) also received the distress calls. The Amara arrived on scene and dispatched the vessel’s 38-foot-long tender (which the Amara had been towing) with a crew of three, who then recovered all of the tanker’s crew from the liferaft and rescue boat. The crewmembers on the tender and the Amara’s captain concurred it was not safe to get Tropic Breeze’s crew aboard either the Amara or the Utopia IV due to the sea state, so they were taken ashore to Lyford Cay Marina in Nassau via the tender, arriving about 0240.

The Tropic Breeze continued to flood, and according to the master, the vessel sank about 25 minutes after the collision. An alert from the vessel’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-enabled emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) was received by the Coast Guard’s Rescue Coordination Center Miami at 2226, via the French Mission Control Center and medium Earth orbit search and rescue (MEOSAR)-enabled satellites.

The Utopia IV and Tropic Breeze were both equipped with radar—regulations require systematic observations of radar targets to determine risk of collision—set to a 3-mile scale. With the Utopia IV approaching the Tropic Breeze at a relative speed of 15 knots, a target would close 3 miles in just 12 minutes. However, none of the watchstanders on the Utopia IV (captain and bosun) or Tropic Breeze (master and AB) reported seeing the other vessel on radar; therefore, it is likely none of them had looked at the radar in the 12 minutes before the collision (although the Tropic Breeze crew stated there was a radar shadow aft, it is likely that the approach of the yacht would have been detected on radar). Additionally, there was no evidence that they used radar for long-range scanning. Therefore, neither crew used their vessel’s radar effectively.

The Tropic Breeze was equipped with an AIS, which consists of a VHF transponder that transmits a vessel’s identity, course, speed, size, and destination. The information is available to nearby vessels on their AIS display unit, radar, and/or electronic chart display and information system, which in turn will calculate and display a target’s closest point of approach (CPA) and time to CPA. However, the Tropic Breeze’s AIS was inoperative due to a power issue: investigators queried databases and found the unit had not transmitted a position in 11 months. (There were repair parts on board awaiting a technician.) Had the unit been functioning, it is likely that the Utopia IV could have detected the Tropic Breeze before the collision. Likewise, with the unit inoperative, the Tropic Breeze could not display the Utopia IV’s AIS signal and identify the yacht’s position relative to the tank vessel.

As the Utopia IV approached the Tropic Breeze from nearly directly astern, the yacht (as the overtaking vessel) was required by 72 COLREGS to give way to the tank vessel. However, because the watchstanders on the Utopia IV were not maintaining a proper lookout using all available means, they did not identify the risk of collision. Although the Utopia IV bore responsibility as the overtaking vessel to maneuver away from the tank vessel, once the yacht’s intentions were unclear and a close-quarters situation had developed, the tank vessel should have taken action. However, the watchstanders on the Tropic Breeze did not detect the Utopia IV approaching. If they had seen the yacht, they likely would have signaled the potential danger in some way, whether by radio communication, whistle, or other means. Therefore, the Tropic Breeze’s watchstanders were also not maintaining a proper lookout. Had either kept a proper lookout, they likely would have detected each other and could have taken action to avoid the collision.

Conclusions

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the collision between the yacht Utopia IV and the tank vessel Tropic Breeze was the Utopia IV’s wheelhouse crew not maintaining a proper lookout and therefore not identifying the tank vessel they were overtaking. Contributing was the Tropic Breeze’s bridge team also not maintaining a proper lookout.

Lessons learned

A proper lookout by suitably trained crewmembers is required by the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 and is essential in determining the risk of collision. The effective use of all available resources by a bridge team, including visual scanning, radars, electronic charts, and an automatic identification system, increases collective situational awareness and contributes to a safe navigation watch. Operators and crews should ensure that vessel bridge teams are staffed with certificated/credentialed mariners who are familiar with all bridge navigation equipment and able to independently take immediate action.

EXPLORE MORE at ntsb’s accident report

US launches blueprint to decarbonize transportation sector

Airbus trials renewable marine fuel.

Lessons learned: Fast Rescue Boat nearly falls off in dry dock incident

Lessons learned: Check all other scuttle glass holder screws

NTSB Investigation: Grounding of bulk carrier John J Boland

Lessons learned: Check the weather before and during lifting operations

Britannia: Key actions to avoid collisions in Chinese seas

BSU Investigation: Grounding of the tanker STEN ARNOLD in the fairway of the River Elbe

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Explore more

• SAFETY4SEA Events
• SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

Useful Links

• Editorial Policies
• Advertising
• Content Marketing

© 2021 SAFETY4SEA

• PSC Case Studies
• Tip of the day
• Training & Development

• Digital Archives
• Order a Copy

NTSB: Improper lookouts led to collision that sank tanker

(WASHINGTON) — Two crews not maintaining proper lookouts led to the collision between a yacht and a tanker near Nassau, Bahamas, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Wednesday. The collision resulted in the sinking of the tanker and nearly $7.9 million in damage.

The motor yacht Utopia IV and tanker Tropic Breeze were transiting the Northeast Providence Channel on Dec. 23, 2021, when the two vessels​ collided. Tropic Breeze’s engine room flooded and the vessel eventually sank. The vessel’s seven crewmembers abandoned ship and were rescued by a good Samaritan vessel. Three of the 12 crewmembers on Utopia IV were injured.

​Before the collision, the captain of Utopia IV was conning the vessel while the bosun navigated and kept a bridge log. On Tropic Breeze, the master and an able seafarer were on watch on the bridge.

The captain of Utopia IV left the bridge shortly before the collision to check on the seven yacht passengers. The bosun, who was not credentialed as a watch officer and was not allowed by regulations to conn the vessel alone, was left performing watch-standing duties by himself and logging navigational data.

At 11 p.m. Eastern time, the bow of Utopia IV struck the transom of Tropic Breeze from directly astern. The yacht was traveling at about 20 knots.

None of the watch standers on Utopia IV or Tropic Breeze reported seeing the other vessel on radar. According to the report, it is likely none of the watch standers had looked at the radar in the 12 minutes before the collision.

During the voyage, Tropic Breeze’s automatic identification system was inoperative due to a power issue. If the unit was working, Utopia IV’s watch stander could have detected Tropic Breeze before the collision and Tropic Breeze’s system would have been able to identify the yacht’s position as it approached from astern.

NTSB investigators concluded that if either vessel had kept a proper lookout, they likely would have detected each other and could have taken action to avoid the collision.

The NTSB determined the probable cause of the collision was Utopia IV’s wheelhouse crew not maintaining a proper lookout and therefore not identifying the tanker they were overtaking. Contributing was Tropic Breeze’s bridge team also not maintaining a proper lookout.

“A proper lookout by suitably trained crewmembers is required by the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, and is essential in determining the risk of collision,” the report said. “The effective use of all available resources by a bridge team, including visual scanning, radars, electronic charts and an automatic identification system, increases collective situational awareness and contributes to a safe navigation watch. Operators and crews should ensure that vessel bridge teams are staffed with certificated/credentialed mariners who are familiar with all bridge navigation equipment and able to independently take immediate action.” ​

Marine Investigation Report 22-29​ is available here .​ ​

– National Transportation Safety B0ard

By Rich Miller

• Career Advice
• Salary Guide
• Dockwalk Presents
• Digital Dockwalk

Tanker Sinks after Collision with M/Y Utopia IV

On December 24 at about 10:03 p.m., tanker Tropic Breeze was struck by M/Y Utopia IV approximately 15 miles NNW of New Providence Island, The Bahamas. According to a press release by the tanker’s management Maritime Management LLC, “the 160-foot tanker was traveling on its proper watch en route to Great Stirrup Cay when it was rear-ended by the 207-foot superyacht. The catastrophic force of the collision pierced the stern of the tanker causing the tanker to sink to the ocean floor at an estimated depth of 2,000 feet.”

However, due to the depth, it has been determined that Tropic Breeze can’t be safely salvaged.

While the management company initially reported that the Tropic Breeze crew were uninjured, rescued, and safely returned to a company-owned facility on shore, the Ministry of Transport and Housing of The Bahamas reported “injuries to several crewmembers.”

The tanker’s cargo consisted of “all non-persistent materials — LPG, marine gas, and automotive gas — all of which are lighter than water and will evaporate if exposed to surface air,” according to Maritime Management. Tropic Breeze was recently inspected in December 2021 and found to be fully compliant with all national and international safety and vessel integrity standards.

The crew of M/Y Amara responded to the tanker’s distress call and rescued all seven crewmembers aboard. At approximately 12:39 a.m., the Royal Bahamas Defence Force received a report that Utopia IV was taking on water and was making her way to Prince George Wharf. The Harbour Patrol Unit dispatched the P-40 vessel to assist and the yacht arrived at the wharf at 1:26 a.m.

The Port Department has begun a formal investigation into the incident and the Department of Environmental Health is conducting a review of the environmental impact.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Salvage and wreck (@salvage_and_wreck)

More from Dockwalk

Most popular on dockwalk.

By SuperyachtNews 31 Oct 2022

Crewmember claims yacht was 'unseaworthy' when it collided with 49m tanker

There are still unanswered questions concerning the incident that involved a 63m superyacht and a 49m tanker in the bahamas….

On 23 December 2021, the 63m motoryacht Utopia IV was involved in a collision with the 49m tanker Tropic Breeze in the Bahamas . The tanker subsequently sank but, fortunately, no lives were lost, and according to various sources, the tanker’s cargo on board included ‘non-persistent materials only’.

While this accident could have been far worse, it should also be highlighted that the initial reports surrounding the incident were limited and somewhat insubstantial considering the gravity of it. 

One can’t help but question the deafening silence that followed after hurried official statements had been made praising the rescuers while showcasing gratitude for the limited environmental consequences. While that may be fair, there are still questions that remain unanswered from patchy reports. Now, almost one year later, one of the crewmembers who was on board at the time has decided to speak out against what they deem to be injustices leading up to, and following on from, the incident.

It should be noted that some of these claims have not been verified by evidence. Multiple individuals and organisations were contacted for this article, but very few were willing to go on the record to either confirm or deny these allegations.

What happened?

Utopia IV was involved in a collision with tanker Tropic Breeze on 23 December, 2021, sometime between 10pm and 10.15pm. The yacht was on an eight-hour passage through the Bahamas, cruising at a speed of 22 knots, with seven guests on board who were chartering the vessel.

The captain was on watch for the first four hours of this passage, but the crewmember has claimed that they actually left the bridge twice in the first hour, disappearing for up to 20 minutes at a time. Twelve minutes into the second disappearance, the superyacht was in a collision with the tanker. 

The radar and all the electronic equipment on board the yacht were in working order. However, the crewmember claims that the issue was that the radar was only zoomed out to about a six-mile radius, and in the time that the captain had disappeared from the bridge, the vessel had already travelled around 12 nautical miles.

The tanker sank in a matter of minutes, but unfortunately, nobody on board Utopia IV could rescue the seven crew on Tropic Breeze. According to the crewmember, Utopia IV didn’t have a rescue tender or a ladder or a pilot door. The crewmember said several of the crew on board sustained major injuries during the collision.

Utopia is a 10,000HP jet boat driven by 4 MTU engines, therefore, even if the vessel did have a stern ladder, it would have beeen impossible to recover anyone from 2m below the swim platform with the main engines still running. M/Y Amara, a nearby 57m Feadship, was able to deploy its crew on its rescue tender and save those on board the tanker.

The collision led to the tanker sinking 2,000 feet below sea level. The crewmember claims the tanker was carrying 150,000 gallons of gasoline and 10,000 gallons of propane, although the management company in charge of the tanker has denied these claims. The tanker’s cargo on board included non-persistent materials ­– all of which floated to the surface of the water and subsequently dissipated into the atmosphere, meaning the clean-up action was deemed only minimal.

The 32-year-old tanker was found by the authorities to be fully compliant with all national and international safety and vessel integrity standards just a few weeks before the incident. Due to the depth of the ocean at the location where the incident occurred, it was decided by authorities that the tanker could not be salvaged safely.

What has happened since?

The crewmember shared a recording of a meeting which took place early afternoon on Christmas Day (roughly 36 hours after the collision). The meeting involved the owner’s in-house lead attorney, the DPA of the charter company, and the Captain and Crew (apart from the Chief Engineer).

In the clip, the attorney promises every crewmember that their wages would be paid to them until they were fit for duty or until they reached maximum medical improvement. Despite this, the crew were informed that the owner had refused to pay their wages the very next day once their January paycheck never showed up.

At least one of the crewmembers has a long-term injury; they are awaiting life-changing surgery and say they haven’t been given a penny since the day of the crash. The legal team who were involved in this have not yet responded to a request for an interview.

Tropic Breeze was one of the smallest tankers in a fleet used to deliver resources to some of the less accessible islands in the Bahamas. Because of its size and specifications, it was the only tanker capable of delivering to these smaller islands, and there were initial worries about the need to dredge around some of the ports to allow space for bigger tankers.

 The management company that looks after the fleet has confirmed that the situation will be ‘looked after’ by other vessels currently in the fleet and by the acquisition of another ship. The management company also confirmed that nobody on board Tropic Breeze was seriously injured, but they could not speak on behalf of those on board Utopia IV.

These claims are incredibly illuminating and, if anything, showcase just how easy it is to uncover all the facts of a major incident in the superyacht industry. There is also evidence that suggests the yacht was placed under arrest on the 1st of December 2021.  The owner’s legal team were contacted but there have not yet replied, the yacht management company were also contacted but have not responded. The insurance company that were allegedly associated with the yacht were also contacted for an interview, but did not formally respond. This is an ongoing investigation, and SuperyachtNews will report on the case with caution. If you are an industry expert who would like to offer any insight or thoughts on this incident, please reach out to [email protected]

Join the discussion

To post comments please Sign in or Register

When commenting please follow our house rules

Click here to become part of The Superyacht Group community, and join us in our mission to make this industry accessible to all, and prosperous for the long-term. We are offering access to the superyacht industry’s most comprehensive and longstanding archive of business-critical information, as well as a comprehensive, real-time superyacht fleet database, for just £10 per month, because we are One Industry with One Mission. Sign up here .

Related news

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

Solar-powered yacht and residence club to open in The Bahamas

The project represents a co-ownership opportunity combining sustainable homes with electric yachts

Ferretti Group adopts Watchit grounding and collision safety software

Aqua Marina Tech's founders explain the system and their ambitions to revolutionise navigational safety at sea

UPDATE: 63m M/Y Utopia IV spotted in Miami following collision

M/Y Utopia IV has been spotted in Miami following an incident involving a collision with a tanker on Christmas Eve

2 years ago

3 years ago

Sign up to the SuperyachtNews Bulletin

Receive unrivalled market intelligence, weekly headlines and the most relevant and insightful journalism directly to your inbox.

Sign up to the SuperyachtNews Bulletin

The superyachtnews app.

Follow us on

Media Pack Request

Please select exactly what you would like to receive from us by ticking the boxes below:

SuperyachtNews.com

Register to comment

• View Record

TRID the TRIS and ITRD database

Marine Investigation Report: Collision between Yacht Utopia IV and Tank Vessel Tropic Breeze, December 23, 2021

On December 23, 2021, about 2201 local time, the motor yacht Utopia IV and tank vessel Tropic Breeze were transiting the Northeast Providence Channel, 20 miles northwest of Nassau, Bahamas, when the two vessels collided. The Tropic Breeze’s engine room began flooding. The vessel’s seven crewmembers abandoned the Tropic Breeze to life rafts and a rescue boat before the ship sank, and they were rescued by a Good Samaritan vessel. Three of the 12 crew aboard the Utopia IV sustained minor injuries. There were 156,500 gallons of petroleum cargo and fuel lost with the tanker. Damage to the vessels was estimated at $7.9 million.​ The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the probable cause of the collision between the yacht Utopia IV and the tank vessel Tropic Breeze was the Utopia IV’s wheelhouse crew not maintaining a proper lookout and therefore not identifying the tank vessel they were overtaking. Contributing was the Tropic Breeze's bridge team also not maintaining a proper lookout.​

• Record URL: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MIR2229.pdf
• Summary URL: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA22FM009.aspx

National Transportation Safety Board

• Publication Date: 2022-12-22
• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Maps; Photos;
• Pagination: 12p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash causes ; Crash investigation ; Tankers ; Water transportation crashes ; Yachts
• Geographic Terms: Bahamas
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01870295
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MIR-22-29, Accident No. DCA22FM009
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 23 2023 12:22PM

• Capstone Group
• Italy Boating Forum
• Itama Refit
• Offshore Powerboat Racing
• PowerYacht Brokerage
• PowerYacht Facebook
• PowerYacht Instagram
• PowerYacht Linkedin
• PowerYacht Twitter
• PowerYacht YouTube
• UK Boating Forum
• USA Boating Forum
• Weather by Windfinder

PowerYachtBlog Views

• *A Genius at His Trade C. Raymond Hunt and His Remarkable Boats
• *A Great Challenge Norberto Ferretti The Number One Dreammaker of the Sea
• *Baglietto 1854 160 Years of Italian Boatbuilding
• *Carlo the legend, Riva the myth
• *Chris-Craft Boats
• *Commanding The Waterways: The Story of Sea Ray
• *Dellapasqua 50 anni di un piccolo grande cantiere
• *Don Aronow The King of Thunderboat Row
• *High Speed Small Craft
• *Huckins: The Living Legacy
• *Milestones In My Designs Renato Sonny Levi
• *Progettare il Futuro
• *Progettare Per Vincere Fabio Buzzi
• *Riva Aquarama
• *Success by Design: A Pictorial History of Sunseeker Through Design
• *Tales from Thunderboat Row
• *The Feadship Story
• *Unsinkable The History of Boston Whaler
• Azimut Yachts
• British Offshore Powerboat Marathons
• C W Burnard A Remarkable And Intriguing Career
• Cantieri di Baia
• Chasing the Cup My America's Cup Journey
• Fairey Marine Boats, Raceboats Rivals and Revivals
• Giovanni Zuccon
• Magnum Marine
• Mauro Micheli
• Mister Lucky - Walt Walters, boat designer, fabricator, racer
• Pacemakers from Port Hamble
• Sonny Levi Work of a Master
• Stile A Bordo Nei Modi Sanlorenzo
• The Legend of Bertram
• The Story of The America's Cup 1851-2021
• Tommaso Spadolini
• Tremlett A Man And His Boats

Contact Form

December 14, 2023.

• Super Yacht Utopia IV Hits Miami Bridge Barrier

No comments:

Post a comment, best of 2009.

Search PowerYachtBlog

Blog Archive

• ►  August (25)
• ►  July (60)
• ►  June (51)
• ►  May (43)
• ►  April (48)
• ►  March (42)
• ►  February (39)
• ►  January (44)
• Monthly News - December 2023
• Project: Rosetti 40m Explorer
• New Model: Steeler 60S Performance
• Improve-it = Nordhavn 41
• New Model: Mengi Yay 39m Virtus
• Project: Royal Huisman 52m Project 406
• Frits de Voogt 1927 - 2023
• Larnaca Marina Fire Totals Two Boats Damages Another
• New Model: Sasga Menorquin 55 FB
• Project: Fabbrica Italiana Motoscafi 500 Regina
• Classic Chris-Craft Hits and Runs Power Cable Line...
• South West Florida Hit by Strong Low Pressure
• New Model: Moonride Yachts 58S
• Sea Ray New Web Site
• Classic Benetti Super Yacht Saved from Sinking in ...
• Project: CRN 70m Project Thunderball hull.145
• New Model: Viking 90 Convertible
• Project: Sundeck 750
• Floating Yacht Dock Sinks in Kocaeli Turkey
• New Model: Esposito Positano Sole 28
• Project: Fjord 39 XL
• Sea Ray Boat with Two Persons One Dog Ends Aground...
• New Model: Maxi Dolphin MD70 Power
• Tornado Capsizes Boats in North Shannon Ireland
• VanDutch New Web Site
• New Launch: Rossinavi 59.4m FR046
• Project: Spencer Yachts 80 hull.231
• Lurssen Bremen Yard Damage Injures One Employee
• Baywood Marina Boat Fire
• New Model: Airon Marine AmX 35
• Project: Release Boatworks 55 Walkaround Flybridge
• New Model: Solaris Power 52 Open
• Project: Windy 29 Huracan
• Roger Hewson 1933 - 2023
• MJM Yachts New Web Site
• Super Yacht Ends Aground in Dubai
• New Model: Cantiere delle Marche Flexplorer 146
• Ferretti Yacht Sinks in Baker Beach San Francisco
• Production History
• ►  November (37)
• ►  October (53)
• ►  September (41)
• ►  August (59)
• ►  July (57)
• ►  May (42)
• ►  April (38)
• ►  March (39)
• ►  February (33)
• ►  January (34)
• ►  December (30)
• ►  November (39)
• ►  October (39)
• ►  September (43)
• ►  August (49)
• ►  July (62)
• ►  June (41)
• ►  May (28)
• ►  April (21)
• ►  March (34)
• ►  February (32)
• ►  December (32)
• ►  November (32)
• ►  October (34)
• ►  September (38)
• ►  August (44)
• ►  July (39)
• ►  June (23)
• ►  May (26)
• ►  April (23)
• ►  March (18)
• ►  February (22)
• ►  January (19)
• ►  December (28)
• ►  November (30)
• ►  October (32)
• ►  September (37)
• ►  August (37)
• ►  July (35)
• ►  June (26)
• ►  May (21)
• ►  April (19)
• ►  March (37)
• ►  February (30)
• ►  January (31)
• ►  September (36)
• ►  July (42)
• ►  June (29)
• ►  May (31)
• ►  April (29)
• ►  March (31)
• ►  February (28)
• ►  January (28)
• ►  December (26)
• ►  November (29)
• ►  October (33)
• ►  September (29)
• ►  August (23)
• ►  July (31)
• ►  June (30)
• ►  May (29)
• ►  March (29)
• ►  December (27)
• ►  November (46)
• ►  October (50)
• ►  September (26)
• ►  August (22)
• ►  July (29)
• ►  June (27)
• ►  April (26)
• ►  March (25)
• ►  February (24)
• ►  January (23)
• ►  November (43)
• ►  October (51)
• ►  September (42)
• ►  August (21)
• ►  July (19)
• ►  June (17)
• ►  May (19)
• ►  April (18)
• ►  March (19)
• ►  February (18)
• ►  January (18)
• ►  December (17)
• ►  November (17)
• ►  October (26)
• ►  August (20)
• ►  July (18)
• ►  June (15)
• ►  May (18)
• ►  April (17)
• ►  March (17)
• ►  February (17)
• ►  December (20)
• ►  November (18)
• ►  October (35)
• ►  August (33)
• ►  July (26)
• ►  June (16)
• ►  May (17)
• ►  February (27)
• ►  January (30)
• ►  September (31)
• ►  August (31)
• ►  April (27)
• ►  February (26)
• ►  January (27)
• ►  October (41)
• ►  September (39)
• ►  August (35)
• ►  July (41)
• ►  April (28)
• ►  March (28)
• ►  February (31)
• ►  December (35)
• ►  October (63)
• ►  September (52)
• ►  August (39)
• ►  July (53)
• ►  June (36)
• ►  May (36)
• ►  April (31)
• ►  February (29)
• ►  December (42)
• ►  November (51)
• ►  October (65)
• ►  September (56)
• ►  August (43)
• ►  June (33)
• ►  May (46)
• ►  April (44)
• ►  March (54)
• ►  February (41)
• ►  January (40)
• ►  December (43)
• ►  November (62)
• ►  September (51)
• ►  August (38)
• ►  July (48)
• ►  June (40)
• ►  May (41)
• ►  April (36)
• ►  March (43)
• ►  January (38)
• ►  September (28)
• ►  April (20)
• ►  March (20)
• ►  February (15)
• ►  December (23)
• ►  November (28)
• ►  October (28)
• ►  September (25)
• ►  August (19)
• ►  July (25)
• ►  May (11)
• ►  April (11)
• ►  March (8)
• Americas Cup (23)
• best of the year (34)
• blogger (163)
• Boat Collision (92)
• Boat Damage (154)
• Boat Fire (100)
• Boat Review (35)
• Boat Salvage (74)
• Boat Show (13)
• Boat Sinking (98)
• Boat Wreck (93)
• Class 1 (96)
• Classics (2)
• Consult (1)
• Engine (78)
• Exclusive (776)
• Explorer Cruiser (113)
• Explorer Yacht (292)
• Fatality (30)
• Improve-it (274)
• INBUILD (30)
• Interview (2)
• Maxi Rib (22)
• Motor Cruiser (191)
• Motor Yacht (573)
• New Launch (145)
• New Model (2326)
• Out-News (599)
• People (59)
• Power Catamaran (73)
• Powerboat Endurance (91)
• Production History (117)
• Project (2166)
• Projects (148)
• Propulsion (31)
• Rib Cruiser (34)
• SPECIAL (11)
• Sport Cruiser (935)
• Sport Yacht (737)
• Sportfish Cruiser (142)
• Sportfish Yacht (206)
• Super Catamaran (7)
• Super Sport Yacht (231)
• Super Sportfish (53)
• Super Yacht (1128)
• Traditional Cruiser (246)
• Traditional Yacht (172)
• XL Marine (9)
• Yacht Builder Story (274)
• Yacht Collision (92)
• Yacht Damage (173)
• Yacht Fire (129)
• Yacht Salvage (61)
• Yacht Sinking (99)
• Yacht Wreck (108)

Top Boat Shows

• Dusseldorf Germany - 20 to 28 January
• Miami USA - 14 to 18 February
• Dubai UAE - 28 Feb to 3 March
• Venice Italy - 29 May to 2 June
• Sydney Australia - 1 to 4 August
• Cannes France - 10 to 15 September
• Southampton UK - 13 to 22 September
• Genova Italy - 19 to 24 September
• Barcellona Spain - 11 to 15 October
• Lauderdale USA - 25 to 29 October

Top Classic Boats

• Alfarmarine Bronte, 1975 - 1085
• Baglietto 20 M, 1969 - 1977
• Bertram 31, 1961 - 1986
• Chris Craft 31, 1966 - 1972
• Coronet 21 Daycruiser, 1965 - 1977
• Grand Banks 42 Classic, 1965 - 2004
• Hatteras 53 Motor Yacht, 1969 - 1988
• Italcraft Sarima, 1965 - 1975
• Itama 38, 1979 - 2001
• Magnum 53, 1977 - 1995
• Pershing 54, 1995 - 2004
• Riva Aquarama, 1962 - 1996
• Sunseeker 37 Tomahawk, 1987 - 1992

Subscribe To PowerYacht

trending now

Blake Lively interviewer reveals she's infertile after star...

Blake Lively under fire as another 'hard to watch' interview...

Matthew Perry's final words before fatal ketamine shot revealed...

Tamra Judge feels certain that Jennifer Aydin will not return to...

Meghan Markle wears Princess Diana's butterfly earrings from 1986...

Mauricio Umansky's Netflix show 'Buying Beverly Hills' canceled...

Jennifer Garner visits ex Ben Affleck on his birthday while...

Sydney Sweeney sizzles in cheeky wetsuit during summer vacation:...

Millionaire jr ridinger’s yacht sinks gas tanker in bahamas boat accident.

Talk about a whole boatload of problems.

A $51 million superyacht, Utopia IV — owned by multimillionaire JR Ridinger — rear-ended and sunk a gas tanker in the Bahamas on Christmas Eve.

According to reports, the Utopia hit the stern of the tanker, the Tropic Breeze, at 10 p.m. off the coast of New Providence Island.

Maritime Management, which owns the sunken ship, told the local Caribbean National Weekly, “The catastrophic force of the collision pierced the stern of the tanker causing the tanker to sink to the ocean floor at an estimated depth of 2,000 feet.”

As for potential environmental damage, the company said that all “non-persistent materials [LPG, marine gas and automotive gas] … are lighter than water and will evaporate if exposed to surface air.”

Crew members were rescued by another passing superyacht, called Amara.

It is unclear if Ridinger, CEO of Market America and  Shop.com , was aboard the Utopia IV. There was no response to requests for comment from one of his companies. Page Six has also reached out to the Bahama’s Ministry of Transport and Housing.

The Utopia IV features four Rolls Royce hydro jets for speed and can sleep 12 in an interior outfitted with luxury brands like Hermes and Armani. There is a jacuzzi in the owner’s suite and a glass-bottomed pool.

When putting their West Chelsea duplex on the market in July 2020 — which offered up boat space at nearby Chelsea Piers — Ridinger’s wife, Loren, told the NY Post , “We’ve always been avid yachters so having our yacht across the street was super convenient.” 

Yacht, IMO 9851050

• VesselFinder
• Miscellaneous

The current position of UTOPIA IV is at US East Coast reported 1 min ago by AIS. The vessel is en route to BROOKLYN,NY , and expected to arrive there on Aug 3, 16:00 . The vessel UTOPIA IV (IMO 9851050, MMSI 303455000) is a Yacht built in 2018 (6 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Alaska .

Position & Voyage Data

Map position & Weather

Recent port calls, vessel particulars.

UTOPIA IV current position and history of port calls are received by AIS. Technical specifications, tonnages and management details are derived from VesselFinder database. The data is for informational purposes only and VesselFinder is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of UTOPIA IV data.

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Conservation and Philanthropy
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• BOATPro Home
• Superyacht Insight
• Global Order Book
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

63m Utopia IV rescues stranded vessel off the coast of Florida

The crew of the 63-metre Rossinavi yacht Utopia IV has been involved in the rescue of a stranded vessel and its two occupants 65 miles off the coast of Florida.

Utopia IV was on a delivery trip from Miami to New York when the watchkeeper spotted something unusual around six hours into their journey north in the early hours of 28 June. 

"The chief officer on watch around 1.30am noticed some odd lights in the distance," explained captain Jeffrey Wierzba. "It wasn't on any charts and didn't look like it was a passing ship. He woke me and we made a decision to turn towards the lights to have a better look. The closer we got we realised it was them [two stranded men] with a flashlight trying to punch out SOS." 

As Utopia IV approached the vessel, which was a six-metre fishing boat, one of the two occupants on board set off a flare and confirmed that they were in need of rescue. The two men, believed to be in their fifties, had left Fort Pierce earlier that day for a fishing trip in Freeport, Bahamas when their single outboard engine failed. The Gulf Stream took them into the Atlantic and they had been adrift for a day when Utopia IV found them floating 65 miles off Cape Canaveral.

The fishing boat had a small handheld radio but was unsuccessful in making contact with the coast guard or with any passing ships that may have been in range. Utopia IV relayed a distress signal to the coast guard over Channel 16 initially but eventually called directly following communication difficulties. "We had Starlink and called the Miami Coastguard directly. We were able to communicate over the phone which was significantly easier," said Wierzba.

Utopia IV was unable to tow the vessel because of its jet drives so the two men were forced to abandon their boat and swim to the side boarding platform where they could be hauled aboard. "They were hesitant because they have plenty of food and plenty of water. They had been adrift just for one day. They hadn't really got desperate, they were just relieved to now be in contact with someone."

Once on board, the two men were offered dry clothes and the crew made up beds for them. Utopia IV headed towards Cape Canaveral where a Port Canaveral Coast Guard cutter met with the boat and took the two men ashore. The abandoned vessel was left adrift and the coast guard issued a hazard warning alerting boaters in the area.

"I was really proud of my crew and how we handled the situation. They stayed calm, they stayed professional and we were able to communicate well with the crew. We all knew where we needed to be, what safety gear we were going to wear and what process we were going to use," added Wierzba.

Sign up to BOAT Briefing email

Latest news, brokerage headlines and yacht exclusives, every weekday

By signing up for BOAT newsletters, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy .

More about this yacht

Yachts for sale, more stories, most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.