A Barbados-flagged general cargo vessel allided with the historic yacht Galeb while maneuvering in the port of Rijeka, Croatia, causing damage to the former Yugoslav presidential vessel.
The incident occurred on February 16, 2026, as the Barbados-flagged, Turkish-owned inbound freighter Deniz Akay was approaching its berth inside Rijeka harbor. During maneuvering, the vessel lost propulsion, likely due to a technical fault, and made contact with the moored yacht Galeb, which is permanently berthed and undergoing restoration as a museum ship.
Port authorities confirmed there were no injuries and no pollution reported. The freighter sustained minor structural damage to the port side, while Galeb suffered visible impact damage to the port bow section. A harbor crane was also damaged, some local media reported.
AIS data show that MV Deniz Akay was moving at low speed inside the harbor basin at the time of impact. As part of the investigation, both the harbor pilot and the vessel’s master were subjected to breathalyzer testing, with results showing 0.0 per mille in both cases. Authorities currently believe the collision was caused by a technical failure.
The yacht Galeb, built in 1938, is a historically significant vessel that once served as the state yacht of Josip Broz Tito, former leader of Yugoslavia. In recent years, the vessel has been undergoing refurbishment in Rijeka with plans to function as a floating museum and cultural venue. The city of Rijeka and its partners have already spent about $14 million on vessel restoring.
Local authorities stated that structural assessments of Galeb are underway to evaluate repair needs and ensure the integrity of the restoration project.
