The man suspected of causing the accident is accused of ramming a small fishing boat at excessive speed with his father's luxury yacht. A 20-year-old Mallorcan then fell into the water and was rescued by the Ship's propeller fatally injured.
The accident was one of the triggers for the establishment of increased safety measures on the water, which the Balearic Government decided in January.
The accusation: negligent homicide and failure to render assistance
The accused is the son of a wealthy business family from Germany. The 34-year-old at the time of the accident is being investigated on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter. He is also accused of failing to render assistance because the luxury yacht simply continued its journey after the accident. It was not until hours later that investigators located the ship in the harbour of Porto Cristo. Several witnesses reported that the luxury yacht had already attracted attention hours before the accident due to its reckless behaviour. The accused, on the other hand, claimed that he was travelling at around 22 knots and was not aware of any reckless driving.
What happened
The tragic accident took place on 23 August on the east coast of Mallorca. According to the investigation, the 3.20 metre fishing boat was on its way back to the harbour in Cala Bona when the 20 metre yacht approached at high speed in the dark. The three people on the fishing boat tried to get out of the way, but were unable to prevent the collision. The 20-year-old Guillem Comamala suffered fatal head injuries in the accident and died at the scene. His uncle and cousin were unharmed. "The yacht was travelling at full speed, we were screaming like crazy," the victim's uncle told the newspaper "Última Hora".
Defence lawyer: Accident not noticed
Surveillance cameras in the harbour of Porto Cristo are said to show how the yacht was cleaned after the accident and how the accused allegedly entered the yacht, which had already been sealed by the police, the next morning and took out bags with friends. The latter continues to maintain his innocence. He had not noticed the collision with the fishing boat. His lawyer emphasised: "A yacht weighing more than 20 tonnes has very little contact with a 3.20 metre long boat. It's like a bus lightly touching the back of a stationary bicycle. You don't necessarily notice that." He also pointed out that, according to the police report, the fishing boat was not properly lit and therefore should not have been travelling at sea in the dark.
After the hearing, the judge decided to withhold the defendant's passport. His boating licence was also revoked. She must now decide whether there is enough evidence to bring charges against the German and open a criminal trial.
