Summary:
On 25 April 2017, at 21:20 local time (UTC +2), a very serious marine accident occurred in the Koločep Channel. The accident involved a collision between a public vessel primarily designated for search and rescue operations at sea, under the Croatian flag, named Danče (Figure 1), registered in Dubrovnik, built in 2002, with an overall length of 18.08 meters, a steel hull, and 50 gross tons (GT), and a passenger transport vessel for commercial purposes, under the Croatian flag, marked “690 DB” (Figure 2), registered in Dubrovnik, built in 2016, with an overall length of 5.90 meters, a fiberglass hull with inflatable buoyancy chambers.
That evening, at 08:50pm, the ship Danče departed from ACI Marina Dubrovnik (Komolac, Rijeka Dubrovačka) and sailed through the Koločep Channel towards the port of Sobra (Mljet Island) to carry out an urgent medical evacuation from the island to Dubrovnik. There were three crew members on board.
Around 21:00, the vessel “690 DB” departed from Pakljena Bay (Šipan Island) towards Brsečine Bay and village on the mainland. During the voyage, there was one crew member and eight passengers on board.
Suddenly, at 09:20pm, in the Koločep Channel at position: ϕ = 42⁰ 43.3′ N; λ = 017⁰ 55.8′ E (approximately 0.4 NM east of Šipan Island), the collision between Danče and “690 DB” occurred.
As a result of the collision:
Five people lost their lives (the vessel’s operator and four passengers).
Two people were injured (one with minor and one with serious injuries; both were passengers and the only survivors from the vessel).
Two passengers remained missing as of the date of this report.
No fatalities or injuries were recorded on the ship Danče.
The vessel “690 DB” suffered significant damage, while the ship Danče sustained minor damage.
Neither vessel was designed for cargo transport, so there was no cargo loss or damage.
Additionally, no third-party damage, injuries, or fatalities occurred.
No marine or environmental pollution (fuel or oil spills) was observed at the collision site.
Immediately after the collision, the ship Danče issued a MAYDAY call, activating a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation. The ship first provided assistance to vessel “690 DB”, rescuing the survivors and searching for the missing persons. A massive and complex rescue and search operation lasted over eight full days following the accident, mobilizing significant human and technical resources. After this period, the search for the remaining two missing persons continued as part of routine Marine safety surveillance.
Safety Recommendations Related to the Fuel Spill Incident on the Ship Fidelity
✓ AIN05-SR-01/2019
It is recommended that the Marine Administration and the Navigation Safety Administration of the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure mandate the installation of radar signal enhancers (radar reflectors) on wooden and inflatable vessels, as well as on all vessels that exceed 20 knots in speed.
✓ AIN05-SR-02/2019
It is recommended that the Marine Administration and the Navigation Safety Administration amend legal and regulatory provisions to require all persons on vessels, regardless of their purpose (private, commercial, or public), and whose speed exceeds 20 knots, to always wear a life jacket during navigation, regardless of the area or weather conditions.
✓ AIN05-SR-03/2019
It is recommended that the Navigation Safety Administration ensure the consistent enforcement of prescribed technical and inspection checks of vessels, with a particular focus on equipment compliance and the number of persons onboard.
✓ AIN05-SR-04/2019
It is recommended that the Navigation Safety Administration clearly impose restrictions on vessels that fail technical inspections due to the lack of mandatory built-in navigation lights and lamps, as required by the Collision Prevention Rules. These restrictions should include a prohibition of navigation from sunset to sunrise and in conditions of reduced visibility. Such limitations should be recorded in the vessel’s registry or the future unified registry and in the vessel’s navigation permit.
✓ AIN05-SR-05/2019
It is recommended that the Navigation Safety Administration place additional emphasis on the training of all crew members of Ministry vessels, ensuring they are proficient in operating the onboard navigation systems. This should ensure that, in addition to the captain, at least one other crew member possesses the necessary skills to operate the specific navigation systems installed on their assigned vessel.