The 40-metre motor yacht Pari went hard aground on the rocks off Saint-Jean-Cap Ferrat around 4:30a.m. on Saturday morning, May 30. Strong wind from the east caused the yacht to drag anchor, according to local news reports, including an article published on Varmatin.com.
Eight people – six crew and the two owners – reportedly were on board Pari during the incident. First responders, including gendarmes from Beaulieu, Saint-Jean police and firefighters, evacuated the owners and crew. Three of the crew reportedly were taken to a local hospital, but luckily, it appears no one was seriously hurt. The captain of Pari remained on board to help with rescue operations.
Of immediate concern was the yacht’s load of diesel fuel, which reportedly is leaking from one tank due to damage caused by her grounding. “At 7 a.m., the odor could be smelled as far as Nice!” exclaimed writer Guillaume Bertolino in his article on Varmatin.com dated May 31.
A team from the SDIS (Service Départemental d’Incendie et de Secours) was dispatched to assess the threat of pollution but they pronounced it minimal. The tugboat Abeille Flandres arrived from Toulon, but according to Bertolino, but the hull damage was too extensive for towing. The salvage operation is planned for the coming days and, says Bertolino, everyone’s crossing their fingers for calm weather until then.
Built by Alucraft in Turkey to a design by Vincenzo Ruggiero, the blue-hulled motor yacht Pari was launched in 1989.