Superyachts may be massive symbols of wealth and luxury, but they're still no match for Mother Nature, as one skipper found out.
According to EuroWeekly News, skipper Klaus Fietzeck ran into trouble while piloting the superyacht Acoa through Storm Harry in the Mediterranean this past winter.
The nearly 30-meter yacht faced off against towering waves and howling winds. It lost the battle when anchor lines snapped, leaving the boat drifting at sea. Fietzeck said he was thrown overboard, but he managed to reach safety and suffered only a few injuries along with hypothermia.
Meanwhile, the Acoa drifted onto Sa Marjal beach on the coast of Mallorca, where it has remained stranded ever since. The question became: Who would move it?
The superyacht has several co-owners, none of whom have stepped forward to take full financial responsibility for removing the stranded vessel.
In fact, Fietzeck tried to remove himself from any financial responsibility or future liability, telling Mallorca Magazine, as reported by EuroWeekly News, "I don't want to keep this, and I'm selling my share for one euro!"
Not only is the luxury vessel an unsightly addition to the beach, but it has also sparked concerns among residents about the possible environmental impacts of its being stranded there.
The superyacht is believed to still hold quite a bit of fuel, which locals are concerned will leak out into the ocean waters due to the boat's structural damage. Indeed, that structural damage may already be polluting the ocean with plastic and other debris.
According to Superyacht Times, the Acoa holds up to 1,372 gallons of fuel. While it is unknown how much of that fuel remains onboard, any amount leaking into the ocean could do immense damage to marine life and ecosystems.
Even without leaking, yachts are already some of the worst polluters in the world, as the top 300 of the world's 5,396 superyachts generate roughly 285,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to CleanTechnica.
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As of mid-February, it remained unclear who would pay to have the vessel cleaned up. Salvage costs are expected to be high. While the boat's co-owners appear to decline financial involvement in the effort, there has been talk of crowdfunding to cover the costs.
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