The 48-meter M/Y Blue Magic experienced an issue while berthing in Santa Maria Di Leuca, Italy, in the afternoon of July 23, the Maritime Bulletin reports. The vessel hits and apparently destroys a small sailboat berthed in the marina while also suffering damage to the bow.
While the exact cause is not known, the incident is reportedly believed to be caused by an electronics system failure. Although there were passengers on board, there were no reported injuries.
In a video posted online, Blue Magic slowly approaches the dock where the sailboats were berthed, and you can see the sailboat’s mast snap as the boat crumples on impact.
Photo from: Safety at Sea's Facebook video
UPDATE: 7/26/19
An assessment by Italian authorities indicates that the incident occurred because of a fault in the electronic propulsion control system, Maritime Executive reports. There was a failure between the command bridge and engine apparatus so the yacht was no longer responding to controls, making the impact inevitable, according to local media LecceSette.
The Port State Control team also found that Blue Magic had several paperwork deficiencies, and the vessel has been temporarily detained until they have been resolved.