June the 14th, 2026 – A tragedy has occurred not far from Split today as a catamaran and a sailboat collide near the island of Šolta.
A massive search and rescue operation is underway in the central Adriatic after a serious collision between a passenger catamaran and a sailing yacht left three people dead and one person missing. The accident happened in the waters between the islands of Šolta and Brač, in the area known as Splitska Vrata, one of the busiest maritime passages in central Dalmatia.
According to authorities, a passenger vessel operated by a Croatian company collided with a French-flagged sailing yacht, which later sank.
At the time of the collision, there were 118 passengers and seven crew members aboard the catamaran, while eight people were on the sailing yacht. Four people from the sailing vessel were rescued from the sea, but three people lost their lives. One person remains missing as rescue teams continue searching the area. The emergency response involved multiple Croatian services, including maritime rescue teams, port authorities, police vessels, medical teams, and air support. The operation has been coordinated through Croatia’s maritime rescue system.
The exact circumstances that led to the collision are still being investigated.
The incident comes during one of the busiest periods of the year for Croatian maritime traffic. The Adriatic sees thousands of private boats, charter vessels, ferries, and excursion boats operating daily during the summer season. The waters around Split, Šolta, Brač, Hvar, and surrounding islands are especially active, with both local traffic and international sailors navigating narrow channels and busy routes.
The tragedy is also a reminder of the risks that come with Croatia’s booming nautical tourism sector. Every summer, millions of visitors arrive to explore the country’s coastline by boat, making maritime safety, navigation awareness, and responsible behaviour at sea critical. For now, emergency teams remain focused on the search operation, while authorities work to establish exactly what happened in one of the Adriatic’s busiest sailing areas.
