Moment 235ft superyacht worth £65m owned by Capri Sun billionaire crashes into dock in St Maarten after computer malfunction

  • The 235ft-long superyacht GO smashed into a dock in St Maarten Wednesday
  • Footage showed the moment it ploughed into a wooden pier at 10.15am
  • It is thought a computer malfunction was to blame for the collision
  • The yacht is owned by billionaire Capri Sun juice boss Hans Peter Wild, 79 This is the moment a £65million superyacht smashed into a luxury Caribbean yacht club's pier, causing 'very significant' damage, after suffering a computer malfunction.

    The 235ft-long turquoise-hulled vessel is owned by Capri Sun juice tycoon Hans Peter Wild, 79 - who is valued at £2billion, according to Forbes, but it is not yet clear whether he was on board at the time.

    Footage shows the superyacht GO - which has a helipad, gym, steam room, swimming pool and its own hospital onboard - plough into a wooden jetty and concrete dock wall in Simpson Bay, St Maarten, on Wednesday. In one video, an onlooker can be heard saying 'oh my God' over and over again. In another clip, a witness said: 'It's hitting concrete now. What's going on?' 

    It is not yet known how much it could cost to repair the vessel or the dock, but a manager for the yacht club suggested repairs could take months. Footage showed the superyacht GO - which has a helipad, gym, steam room, swimming pool and its own hospital onboard - plough into a jetty and concrete dock wall in Simpson Bay, St Maarten, on Wednesday

    Footage showed the superyacht GO - which has a helipad, gym, steam room, swimming pool and its own hospital onboard - plough into a jetty and concrete dock wall in Simpson Bay, St Maarten, on WednesdayThe yacht's captain was trying to leave the Simpson Bay Lagoon from its berth at Ile de Sol Marina at 10.15am on Wednesday when the crash happened.  

    Sint Maarten Yacht Club's dock has been closed until further notice while the extent of the damage is assessed. 

    Yacht is owned by Capri Sun juice tycoon Hans Peter Wild, 79 - who is worth £2billion

    Yacht is owned by Capri Sun juice tycoon Hans Peter Wild, 79 - who is worth £2billion

    A notice posted on its website on Wednesday read: 'As most of you will have heard by now, this morning an accident occurred with a mega yacht. They lost control over the vessel and hit the dock of the Sint Maarten Yacht Club.

    'Nobody was injured and the damage is solely structural, however it is very significant. We are currently assessing the extend of the damage to make a plan to rebuild.'

    It is not known if Mr Wild was onboard at the time of the crash but photographs show a large gouge in the side of the yacht, which had to be towed back to its berth at the marina.

    It crashed into the dock twice after the computer malfunction, with the second time causing the most damage and leaving planks of wood strewn across what remained of the structure. 

    It is not known if Mr Wild was onboard at the time of the crash but photographs show a large gouge in the side of the yacht, which had to be towed back to its berth at the marina

    It is not known if Mr Wild was onboard at the time of the crash but photographs show a large gouge in the side of the yacht, which had to be towed back to its berth at the marina

    It crashed into the dock twice after a computer malfunction, with the second time causing the most damage and leaving planks of wood strewn across what remained of the structure

    It crashed into the dock twice after a computer malfunction, with the second time causing the most damage and leaving planks of wood strewn across what remained of the structure

    Pictured before the crash. Built by Turquoise Yachts for Swiss businessman Mr Wild, the superyacht GO has a total guest capacity of 18 people and made its first run in March 2018

    Pictured before the crash. Built by Turquoise Yachts for Swiss businessman Mr Wild, the superyacht GO has a total guest capacity of 18 people and made its first run in March 2018

    Sint Maarten Yacht Club General Manager Michele Korteweg told the Daily Herald: 'If the piles supporting the structure are still solid and stable, it should be easier to rebuild. 

    'If that’s not the case we will have to replace the piles which could take months. But in the meantime, we will come up with a temporary solution in order to be operational as quick as possible, at least at the minimum to connect the wooden accessway to the concrete dock.'

    Witnesses claimed the superyacht was entangled in the propeller of an old sailboat at sea when it was about to dock. Its rudder was locked and it hit the pier, they said.

    Built by Turquoise Yachts for Swiss businessman Mr Wild, the superyacht GO has a total capacity of 18 guests and 19 crew and made its first run in March 2018. 

8 comments:

  1. Wow. And we trust puters with nukes too

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  2. A problem I am unlikely to ever experience...

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  3. This is why I don't worry about AI.

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  4. What do you do with a drunken AI?

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  5. Wonder if State Farm will pay out on this fiasco????? They pay out on everything you know!!

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    Replies
    1. At State Farm We've seen a thing or 2... lol

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  6. No one person should have that much wealth!

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  7. ...and this was only the dinghy...Go figure...

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