Summary:
On April 1, 2017, at approximately 14:00, a serious marine accident occurred on the northern coast of Šćedro Island, involving the grounding of the Croatian-flagged passenger motor vessel Zlatni Žal. The vessel, registered in Zadar, was built in 1979, with a length of 33.5 meters, a gross tonnage of 109 BT, a steel hull, and a passenger capacity of 126.
At the time of the incident, the vessel was navigating through the Šćedro Channel on a non-commercial repositioning voyage from Zadar to Dubrovnik. The conditions included moderate southerly winds (jugo) increasing in strength, slightly to moderately wavy seas, good visibility, clear skies, and high atmospheric pressure.
Circumstances of the Accident:
In the early afternoon, the vessel collided with the northern coast of Šćedro Island, grounding bow-first.
At the time of the incident, the vessel was operated by an unauthorized person who was not officially listed as crew.
The Captain was not present on the bridge during the event.
Consequences of the Grounding:
Hull damage occurred at the bow section, piercing the forward ballast tank.
No seawater ingress was detected in other compartments.
Several windows in the main deck salon (port side) were damaged.
As a passenger vessel, there was no cargo onboard.
There was no damage to third parties.
No passengers were on board; only three crew members, including the Captain, were present.
No fatalities or injuries were reported.
No environmental pollution was observed at the grounding site.
The vessel had approximately 7 tons of fuel onboard.
Salvage Operation:
The vessel remained grounded overnight, with crew monitoring and securing it to prevent further damage, capsizing, or pollution.
The following morning, on the Captain’s own responsibility, the vessel partially refloated using its engines, then fully refloated with the assistance of another vessel contracted by the Captain.
Again, at its own risk, the vessel proceeded under its own power and docked in Hvar Harbor for further assessment.