The breathtaking waters surrounding Sentosa, a picturesque island resort in Singapore, recently witnessed a dramatic event.
A foreign-registered luxury yacht, known as “Australia,” unexpectedly ran aground and became stuck near the waters of Sentosa on 16 October, according to The Straits Times.
The Luxury Yacht “Australia”
The star of this story, the yacht “Australia,” is an opulent vessel measuring 56 meters in length and estimated to be worth a staggering A$40 million (approximately S$34.7 million).
This remarkable vessel boasts an array of luxurious amenities, including a jacuzzi, well-stocked bars, and an exclusive VIP suite.
Reports suggest that “Australia” belongs to Clive Palmer, a prominent mining magnate and former Australian member of parliament.
While the incident unfolded, it remains unclear whether Mr. Palmer was on board the yacht or not when it got stuck.
Eyewitnesses account
A resident of Sentosa was quick to notice the yacht’s predicament at about 5.30pm in the evening and promptly reported it, adding that there are a lot of rocks in the channel but only some of them are visible at low tides.
Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time such an incident has occurred in the vicinity.
The director of yacht charter company Wanderlust Adventures, 45-year-old Mr Quek Wee Teck, spoke to ST and said that this was in fact the second time this month he had seen something like this happen there.
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s Response
A spokesperson for the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said that their Maritime Safety Control Centre was alerted to the incident at about 4.30pm, and that no pollutions or injuries were reported from the incident.
They added that the yacht has been refloated and will be anchored to assess any damages caused, port operations were also not disrupted and the MPA will be conducting investigations into the incident.