The 27m motoryacht Vision was moving at a speed of about 20 knots when it crashed into another boat which was moored just north of Ile Sainte-Marguerite, killing a British crewmember who died of a heart attack as a result of the trauma. The 29 year old was raising the anchor of 27m M/Y Minx when its bow was struck by the bow of Vision.

A statement released by the fire department said: “Fire services were called around 9pm for a collision at sea. On their arrival, the firefighters and the SMUR Cannes took care of a man in cardio respiratory arrest.”

Unfortunately, the man could not be resuscitated and died shortly after. According to a statement from the Préfecture Maritime de la Méditerranée, the seventeen other passengers on board both yachts were evacuated “safe and sound but shocked.” The captain of Vision, a French vessel, has been taken into police custody and has reportedly been questioned on suspicion of reckless manoeuvring.

Those who witnessed the event have described the horrific scenes left by the collision. “I saw the damage. There was still blood from the guy on the hull of the yacht, it was horrible,” one said on social media according to The Times.

“Xavier Tarabeux, the local prosecutor, said that Vision had been unable to avoid Minx as it was moving at about 20 knots, far above the five-knot speed limit in the area close to the shore,” said another source from the newspaper.

Both boats suffered serious damage – Minx, which can be chartered for around £44,000 a week, lost its nose and fibreglass could apparently be seen splintering out from the front of the vessel.

The incident took place on the final evening of the Cannes film festival which saw Hollywood’s elite descend to the town for a week of film releases, prizes and parties.

Click here to become part of The Superyacht Group community, and join us in our mission to make this industry accessible to all, and prosperous for the long-term. We are offering access to the superyacht industry’s most comprehensive and longstanding archive of business-critical information, as well as a comprehensive, real-time superyacht fleet database, for just £10 per month, because we are One Industry with One Mission. Sign up here.