A serious ship collision in the so-called “Splitska vrata” (Split Gate) between the islands of Brač and Šolta claimed the lives of at least three people on Sunday, 14 June 2026. A further person, initially reported missing, was recovered on Monday, 15 June. According to information available so far, a large passenger catamaran in scheduled service collided with a sailing yacht flying a French flag, which subsequently sank.
According to the Croatian Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, as cited by index.hr, there were 118 passengers and seven crew members on board the catamaran at the time of the accident. The sailing yacht had eight people on board; three lost their lives, four were rescued from the water, and a further person – initially reported missing – was recovered on the following day (Monday, 15 June) from a depth of 50 metres, as became known today.
The authorities describe this as one of the most serious maritime accidents in this area in recent years. Investigations are ongoing.
What happened?
According to index.hr, the accident occurred on Sunday at around 11:38 am in the heavily trafficked waters between Brač and Šolta. The catamaran involved was operating on a regular passenger route. Following the collision, the sailing yacht sank. Rescue services, the coast guard, the harbour authority, police and medical services immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation.
A spokesperson for the Split harbour authority stated, as reported in the article, that the sailing yacht had been carrying valid documentation and was travelling under engine power at the time.
Did the private yacht make an error?
This has expressly not been established at this point. However, the article cites a Croatian maritime expert witness who points out that smaller vessels on fairways and in narrow passages must give way to larger ships.
He also emphasised that the available information is insufficient to draw any firm conclusions, and that technical causes are also conceivable. In plain terms: the question of fault in this accident has not (yet) been resolved, and the presumption of innocence therefore applies – including for the “small” yacht.
Which right-of-way rules apply internationally – and in Croatia?
The international basis is the COLREGs (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea) – which also apply in Croatian waters. The most important rules that could be relevant – and potentially violated – in this case: Rule 5 COLREGs requires every vessel to maintain a “proper look-out” at all times – visually, acoustically, and by all available means.
In addition, Rule 6 requires speed to be set so that timely action can be taken; Rule 7 (risk of collision) requires that potential approaches must be taken seriously; and manoeuvres must be made early, decisively and in a manner readily apparent to other vessels (duty to give way, Rule 8).
Under Rule 9 “Narrow Channels”, smaller vessels shall not impede the passage of larger ships; vessels with restricted manoeuvrability are in practice often given priority; and scheduled and high-speed passenger vessels frequently require considerably longer stopping distances due to their greater speed and mass.
And: sailors do not always have right of way! In the present case, the yacht was not sailing; it was travelling under engine power – which means it is legally classified as a power-driven vessel and must act accordingly. Furthermore, in narrow channels even a sailing vessel may be required to give way – in Croatian ports and harbour approaches, it is always required to do so in relation to commercial vessels (fairway, restricted manoeuvrability).
How can such accidents be prevented in future?
“From a nautical perspective, there are five simple but effective principles,” says SeaHelp operations manager Denis Lipovac from the Croatian headquarters in Punat; “large vessels must always be given plenty of sea room,” particularly in the case of high-speed catamarans and ferries. The fairway should not be crossed “close ahead of the bow”; the speed of large vessels is very often underestimated.
Anyone with an AIS on board should use it “actively” – this is now highly advisable for recreational vessels too (see also our earlier news on the topic of Watchit / collision avoidance at sea). Finally, the principle applies: “Give way early and clearly” – small course alterations “are often not noticed” – and leisure skippers are well advised to always navigate defensively around large vessels – “even if you believe you have right of way,” says Lipovac.
In cases of doubt, there is Rule 2 COLREGs (“Seamanship”), the provision that in practice often overrides everything else. In simplified terms, it states: even if you formally have right of way, you must act to avoid a collision. This is why experienced skippers say: “On paper you may have right of way – in reality, you give way to the larger commercial vessel.”
The rumble of the heavy ship diesels of large scheduled vessels can be heard from a considerable distance
“I have witnessed a dangerous situation in the Splitska vrata on several occasions,” says SeaHelp managing director Wolfgang Dauser, who himself spends several weeks each year cruising in Croatia with his boat. When a catamaran (scheduled vessel) approaches, you can already feel and hear the rumble of the vessel from a great distance. This can be, in a sense, “intimidating.”
Nevertheless, there are always skippers of sailing boats and motor yachts who simply do not react and stubbornly maintain their course – only to change direction hastily at the last moment before the vessel, says Dauser.
Scheduled and ferry vessels are often unable to make allowances for small private yachts
“A catamaran of this kind can travel at more than 30 knots (55 km/h) and arrives very quickly,” says Dauser; he himself is “repeatedly surprised by how fast these vessels are.” A scheduled vessel simply cannot make allowances for private craft, because “if 20 or 30 yachts are criss-crossing in front of a commercial vessel, it simply has to be able to rely on everyone getting out of the way in time.”
The only exception applies when a recreational vessel is unable to manoeuvre – in that case, a red distress signal must be fired immediately, otherwise the scheduled vessel will “certainly not alter course.”
The precise sequence of events in the Split accident – and the question of fault – remain open until the official investigation is concluded; anything else would be speculation at this stage.
