What Crew Members Say About Novalja

On January 9, 2019, the catamaran 'Novalja' met with an unfortunate incident as it collided with the breakwater in Zadar, Croatia, causing significant damage to the vessel. At the time of the accident, there were 26 individuals on board, comprised of 18 passengers and an additional crew of eight. Fortunately, only two people sustained minor injuries—one crew member injured his arm, and a passenger sought medical assistance post-collision. The 'Novalja' was operating on the Ist - Molat - Zadar route when the incident occurred around 7:39 a.m. According to preliminary reports, the collision was attributed to a technical failure during the ship's maneuvering into berth, which resulted in a loss of steering control despite the engines still propelling the vessel forward. The captain expertly managed to steer the ferry away from a nearby bridge and yacht before the unfortunate end in the breakwater. Following the incident, all passengers were safely evacuated by the crew, with assistance from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Rijeka. The naval police and port captain have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. A replacement ferry has been arranged to resume the service at 1 p.m. for stranded passengers. For additional details and visuals, please refer to these Croatian news sources: [Dalmacija Danas](https://www.dalmacijadanas.hr/otkazale-komande-katamaran-novalja-se-nasukao-na-lukobran-dvije-osobe-ozlijedene), [Antena Zadar](https://www.antenazadar.hr/clanak/2019/01/jadrolinijin-katamaran-udario-u-digu-ima-ozlijedenih-osoba/), and [N1 Info](http://hr.n1info.com/Video/Info/a361176/Katamaran-udario-u-zadarsku-luku-ima-ozlijedjenih.html).