THIS is the dramatic moment a luxury £10 million yacht lost control and crashed into a giant cruise liner in the Bahamas.
An alarming collision occurred in Nassau Harbor between the Aurora yacht and Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas cruise ship, witnessed and recorded by astonished passengers on board the massive vessel.
In the video footage, the 121-foot superyacht can be seen careening towards the 225,000-ton cruise liner at a sharp angle, colliding with a disturbing thud against its side and then scraping along its hull.
During the ongoing collision, the top of the yacht’s mast collided with a lifeboat on the Allure of the Seas, resulting in the shearing off of its radar dome and leaving debris strewn across the yacht’s sundeck.
A visibly distressed crew member on the yacht is seen rushing to drop fenders, attempting unsuccessfully to minimise the damage.
The Aurora, a Nordhavn 120 explorer yacht built in 2014, is renowned for its luxurious design and global cruising capabilities.
With an expansive 414 gross tons of interior volume, the yacht accommodates up to 10 guests in five staterooms, including a private master suite on the main deck.
Featuring elegant interiors, a skylounge with an 80-inch TV, and alfresco spaces such as a jacuzzi on the flybridge, Aurora is valued at $12.9 million (£10million) and built for both comfort and safety.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and surreal.
Dayanni Bhagwandin, one of the people who recorded the crash, told 7 News Miami: “When it got to about a third of the way past the cruise ship as it was entering the port, it suddenly swung right and just kept coming closer.
“I grabbed my phone, and then I heard the impact—it was so loud.”
The 362-meter-long Allure of the Seas, carrying up to 6,800 passengers and crew, was docked during a four-day cruise to the Bahamas.
While passengers on the port side witnessed the collision, those on the opposite side were completely unaware until the captain’s announcement.
The smash caused minimal damage to the cruise ship, which departed Nassau after a 40-minute delay.
But the 414-ton Aurora sustained significant damage, including the loss of its antenna mast and radar.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, though experts speculate a possible mechanical failure aboard Aurora.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.
The yacht, part of the Nordhavn 120 series and considered a “pocket explorer,” remains docked in Nassau for repairs.
Meanwhile, Allure of the Seas, described as one of the most awarded cruise ships in the world, continued its journey unimpeded, set to undergo a $100 million refurbishment in the coming weeks.
The crash marks the third incident involving Royal Caribbean in recent months, following a burst pipe on another ship and a passenger falling overboard during a Taylor Swift themed cruise, 7 News Miami reports.
It comes after a £14million superyacht sank after a devastating fire broke out on board.
Incredible photos show the wreck of the flashy vessel, called Atina, after it was raised from the sea floor.
The ship’s owner, Serkan Borançili, who is best known for co-founding the grocery delivery app Getir in 2015, had used the vessel for luxury cruises in the Mediterranean.
At the time of the incident, the Turkish businessman was on board the boat with friends while it was moored in the Gulf of Olbia in Sardinia, Italy.
After the fire broke out, port authority immediately dispatched a tug boat and a second vessel to try to help.
Footage shared by Italy’s coast guard showed the superyacht sinking while it was doused with an extinguisher in the port, also known as the Billionaire’s Playground.
But efforts to save it were unsuccessful and within hours the superyacht had sank in shallow waters.
Sixteen passengers and crew miraculously escaped from the Atina before it was completely engulfed in flames on August 10.
And for just under three months, Atina has remained at the bottom of the Mediterranean, lying on its side at a depth of about eight metres.
