A female crewmember has died tragically after falling from a mast on board the sailing yacht Germania Nova, it has been confirmed.
The 55.42 metre yacht was moored in Jamaica’s Erroll Flynn Marina when the incident occurred at around 14:30 on Tuesday (March 15), the Jamaica Observer reports.
According to local sources, the crewmember was cleaning the mast when a rope came undone, causing her to fall onto the deck. The young woman was rushed to a nearby hospital with multiple injuries but could not be revived.
In a statement, Niall Robinson, partner at Germania Nova’s charter agent Hill Robinson, said: “The crewmember's next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with the family, friends and fellow crewmembers at this very difficult time. Hill Robinson and the owners are doing everything possible to support the family and friends, and of course an immediate investigation is already underway.
“We request the courtesy of privacy for her family and all those affected,” he added. “No further statements will be issued until the results of the investigation are known.”
Update: A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to cover the family's costs resulting from the incident. At the time of writing, the appeal has raised more than $11,000 in less than 24 hours.
Launched by Spanish shipyard Factoría Navale Marín in 2011, Germania Nova is a twin-masted sailing yacht with accommodation for up to ten guests and 13 crewmembers.
This tragic incident comes 12 months after 33-year-old Toni Hristov Kolev was involved in a fatal accident on board Ocean Victory, which happened while the 140 metre Fincantieri superyacht was mooring up off the coast of Koh Tachi, Thailand. The exact circumstances of Kolev’s death are also the subject of an ongoing investigation.