17-10-2023 (SINGAPORE) A foreign-registered luxury yacht, named Australia, owned by prominent mining magnate and former Australian member of parliament Clive Palmer, ran aground near Sentosa on Monday afternoon, according to various Australian media outlets.
It remains unclear whether Mr. Palmer was on board the vessel at the time of the incident.
The 56-meter yacht, valued at approximately A$40 million (S$34.7 million), boasts extravagant amenities including a jacuzzi, bars, and a VIP suite.
An observant resident of Sentosa noticed the yacht stuck and tilting while looking out at the sea around 5:30 pm. He noted that the channel where the yacht was sailing is known to have numerous rocks, some of which are only visible during low tides.
Mr. Quek Wee Teck, director of yacht charter company Wanderlust Adventures, revealed that this was the second such incident he had witnessed in the area this month.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) confirmed that they were notified of the incident around 4:30 pm on Monday. A spokesman for MPA stated that there were no reports of pollution or injuries among the crew of the Malta-flagged yacht, which ran aground off Buran Channel near Sentosa.
“The yacht has been successfully refloated and will anchor for a damage assessment,” the spokesman revealed.
He further assured that the grounding did not disrupt port operations and added, “MPA will be conducting an investigation into the incident.”
