Superyacht tragedy set to kick-start safety review in Thailand

A Bulgarian crew member has lost his life following a horrific accident involving Fincantieri’s 140 metre superyacht Ocean Victory sparking calls for a safety investigation following the incident at Mu Ko Similan National Park in Thailand.

The unidentified crew member was reported to have had his legs almost severed by an anchor chain during the accident.

According to local reports, the man was lowering the anchor as the chain then caught him around the knees severely injuring his legs. Fellow staff were said to have rushed to his aid, but it was too late to save him and he slipped into a coma from which he never recovered.

A report in the local newspaper the Phuket Gazette quoted Royal Thai Navy chief petty officer Watcharin Promruang of the Third Naval Area Command, who said: “[The crewmember] was rushed to Thaplamu Pier in Phang Nga on a small craft dispatched from the superyacht and transporter overland by ambulance to Bangkok Phuket Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.”

The yacht was said to be owned by Russian steel billionaire Viktor Rashnikov, although this is yet to be confirmed.
However, local police did confirm that they had contacted the Bulgarian embassy to inform the man’s family of his death.