Video: Drydock Sinks at Turkish Yacht Yard
A superyacht yard in Turkey lost its floating drydock on Wednesday, according to maritime authorities.
Turkey's General Directorate of Maritime Affairs reports that a floating drydock at a repair and construction yard in Kocaeli went down during a docking procedure. The midsize 145-meter dock belonged to Yachtley, a repair and newbuild yard in Kocaeli's free zone.
The incident occurred while bringing a yacht into the dock, according to the directorate. The vessel scheduled for repair appears to have escaped unharmed, and 24 workers were rescued safely from the drydock.
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 shallow enough that the tips of the crane booms remained visible.
An administrative investigation has been opened by the Kocaeli Regional Port Authority. No environmental pollution was reported, the agency said, though a slick was visible in drone videos taken by local media (below).
The Yachtley shipyard was founded in 2005, and its listed projects are in the 50-90 meter class. Prominent newbuilds include the opulent 80-meter superyacht Elements, built in 2018.