Croatian catamaran officer arrested after fatal Split collision inquiry

Croatian police have arrested the 33-year-old first officer of the passenger catamaran Krilo Eclipse. The collision in Splitska Vrata, between Brač and Šolta near Split, killed four people aboard a French-flagged sailboat carrying eight Czech nationals and left the catamaran’s scheduled Split-to-Hvar service under criminal and safety investigation.

The catamaran was carrying 118 passengers and seven crew members when it struck the sailboat on 14 June 2026. One person was initially missing and later recovered from the wreck, bringing the confirmed death toll to four. Croatian authorities have said the suspect is being investigated for a serious offence against maritime traffic safety, a charge that could bring a sentence of three to 15 years if multiple deaths are established in the criminal case.

Interior Minister Davor Božinović confirmed that one crew member was in custody on suspicion of breaching navigation safety regulations. Investigators are still trying to reconstruct the exact sequence of events before impact, including whether the first officer saw the sailboat in time and whether all required collision-avoidance steps were taken. The catamaran’s captain was not at the controls when the vessels collided.

The wreck of the sailboat was later found more than 50 metres below the surface, making recovery work technically demanding. Croatia’s Air, Maritime and Rail Accident Investigation Agency opened a safety investigation and notified France and the Czech Republic because the sailboat was French-flagged and carried Czech citizens. Witnesses have been questioned, footage reviewed and toxicology tests ordered.

Split Harbour Master Željko Kuštera, who was among the first on scene, said the incident was unlike anything he had seen in 35 years. Croatian officials are weighing stricter boat-licensing and practical-training rules.