A superyacht shipyard in Turkey lost its floating drydock on Wednesday, according to maritime authorities.
Turkey’s General Directorate of Maritime Affairs said a floating drydock at a repair and construction yard in Kocaeli sank during a docking procedure. The medium-sized 145-meter dock belonged to Yachtley, a repair and construction yard in Kocaeli’s free zone.
The incident occurred while a yacht was being brought into the dock, according to the directorate. The vessel, which was scheduled for repair, was apparently unharmed, and 24 workers were safely rescued from the dry dock.
A dramatic bystander video (above) captured the dock’s twin cranes rolling down their tracks as one end of the structure settled below the surface. Photos from the scene show that the dock came to rest in water so shallow that the tips of the crane booms remained visible.
An administrative investigation has been launched by the Kocaeli Regional Port Authority. No pollution has been reported, the authority said, although a slick was visible in drone videos taken by local media (below).
Yachtley was founded in 2005 and its listed projects are in the 50-90 meter class. Prominent newbuilds include the opulent 80-meter superyacht Elements, which was built in 2018.
