yacht go accident

• Mar 4, 2021

Captain Makes Clutch Decision to Save Superyacht 'GO' in St. Maarten's Crash

By: Scott Way

Last week the brilliantly turquoise superyacht GO made headlines for crashing into St. Maarten's Yacht Club. Not once, but twice.

Naturally, internet 'experts' were quick to pounce. With a predictable lack of knowledge, many immediately labeled the crash the result of driver error. Surely no captain could crash one of the world's nicest boats into one of yachting's most famous ports. What the videos lack, like most viral phenomena, is context. The captain of GO was recently interviewed by The Daily Herald to discuss the circumstances surrounding the incident. Predictably, there was far more at play than operator error. If you haven't seen the videos, here's a few different angles of the mishap:

As for the vessel in question, the boldly turquoise GO is a 77m (252 ft) luxury motor yacht designed by H2 and built by the aptly named Turquoise Yachts . It is owned by Capri Sun mogul Hans-Peter Wild . Yes, that Capri Sun, the lovable juice in a bag with the world's most challenging straw. It is entirely computer-driven and packed with deluxe appointments including a pool, jacuzzi, elevator, gym, helipad, and steam room. She runs with a crew of 19 and has 7 cabins for up to 12 guests. It was built in Turkey and launched in 2018 with a pricetag of roughly $100 million USD.

As for the events that transpired, captain Simon Johnson was preparing to depart the lagoon via the rotating land bridge (which you can see in the upper frame of the second video). While roughly 50 metres from the bridge and holding position pending the bridge opening, an electronic error began pushing the yacht forward without steering input. The passage itself is precarious enough as GO carries a 13.5 meter (44 ft) beam and has only 50 cm (1.6 ft) of clearance on either side.

Johnson told The Herald , “With not much water between us and the bridge, I always set to align my stern and get parallel well in time for the bridge opening. We left the dock an hour before and went through all the checks. There was nothing different from the other times we’ve done this exit. I was in good shape."

“Then, when we were about 50 metres away and holding position, the yacht started moving mysteriously forward. There was nothing I seemed to be able to do; all the controls on the bridge were showing normal. I called the engine room and everything was normal down there. I found I had extremely limited control, almost limited to only the bow thruster, but with now only 50 metres between us and the bridge I had to make a decision fast."

The ability to prioritize outcomes while under duress is a valuable trait, and the sign of a good captain, and Johnson was able to calculate a remarkable list of outcomes before choosing a course of action.

“I certainly did not want to put the anchor down. That would have been disastrous. By the time the anchor hit the bottom we would have been 30 metres further in. Then we would have pinned the bow upwind, and slewed the stern towards the rocks and the road bridge.

“We have 160,000 litres of fuel on board. If I had done that, I would not only have disabled the bridge, but potentially breached the hull on the rocks beneath and could have caused an oil spill. My preferred option was to point the bow towards the yacht club dock, and beach her gently there. I had a crew member up front shouting a warning to make sure everyone was out of the way.”

After some initial investigation, it was determined Johnson had 13 roughly seconds to choose a course of action. Having made the passage at St. Maarten's 20 times previously, his knowledge of the boat and the lagoon was undoubtedly valuable.

“The fact that there were no warning alarms, no lights on board to indicate something was wrong was really scary. I know this yacht so well, yet I had 13 seconds to make a decision before hitting the bridge. The decision I made was one I would make again if faced with the same circumstances.”

While internet critics were quick to heap blame upon him, Johnson was justifiable in his criticism of the electronics responsible, calling them “ridiculously over the top” and without manual overrides. On GO in particular, there are 14 computers on the bridge with two more below decks. Insurers will now have the tall task of determining the root of the electronic fault, as well as assessing the extent of the damage to GO and the Yacht Club dock before pursuing repairs.

As for Johnson, “I’m proud that we walked away from a crash landing, and most importantly, there was no injury and the island’s arterial road bridge was not compromised,” he said.

The yacht's owner Hans-Peter Wild was also supportive, releasing a public statement in which he declared he is “extremely supportive of the captain’s decisions and performance. Personnel, economic, environmental disaster was averted for the island. I have full faith and confidence in the captain and am very grateful.”

You can see more photos of the impressive GO below:

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“I found I had extremely limited control, almost limited to only the bow thruster, but with now only 50 metres between us and the bridge I had to make a decision fast,” Captain Johnson added.

At this stage GO remains at the dock while waiting for the final assessments and repairs to be completed.

You can read the full story here .

As a licensed electrical engineer and mariner I was fascinated by this accident and pretty much knew what the likely cause of the accident was before reading the full account. I helped an owner with the delivery of his 1 year old Nordhavn 63 from Cabo to San Diego in 2016 with the purpose of the trip to take the boat back to the manufacturer for warranty work. The two major problems were a hydraulic failure that caused loss of steering and $50K of navigation gear that was inoperable. The boat was a marvel of marine engineering but the complexities of the systems aboard made me shake my head in awe. It was an easier boat to maneuver than my 36′ cutter with the computer control of the engines and thrusters. BUT you had to wonder what would happen if there was a glitch in the software. Unlike aircraft that are fly-by-wire the testing of yachts is much, much less stringent than required by the FAA. Expect more interesting videos like this and good on L38 for telling us the rest of the story. BTW, having read the full article it sounds like the pilot…er captain did a great job in dealing with the situation. Bravo to him and here is a toast to the K.I.S.S. principle.

As a guy who has piloted more than my share of both commercial boats and airplanes, I think that trying to pass a superyacht through a bridge with only 19 inches of clearance on each side while subject to wind and tides is just asking for trouble. I am a firm believer in “what can go wrong, will go wrong”.

Funny how this malfunctions occur after an accident, and not anytime during the other 3 years / 22,000 miles this Captain was on this ship safely out at sea.“Computer malfunction” seems unlikely to me. The only evidence of this is from the Captain who crashed it while making a seemingly I’ll-advised difficult pass-through. No diagnostics. No investigation report of yacht systems. No witnesses. And no similar reported “computer malfunctions at any other time – except after a crash.

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Video: Turquoise superyacht Go collides with Sint Maarten dock

The 77 metre superyacht Go has been filmed colliding with the wooden dock of the Sint Maarten yacht club in the Caribbean.

Onlookers filmed the flagship of Turkish yard Turquoise Yachts crash into the dock as it was leaving Simpson Bay Lagoon from its berth in Ile de Sol Marina.

The collision, which took place at around 10.15am on Wednesday morning, was caused by a computer malfunction on board, according to local newspaper The Daily Herald .

The Daily Herald reported that the yacht collided with the wooden docks twice before returning to its berth. No injuries were reported.

Sint Maarten Yacht Club general manager Michele Korteweg told The Daily Herald : “We’ve been removing all the debris and out insurance person has already been here to assess the damage.”

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Superyacht crash video shows 77m Go colliding with Caribbean dock

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Footage has emerged of a 235ft superyacht crashing into a luxury Caribbean yacht club’s pier, causing visible damage to both the yacht and the dock.

Onlookers were shocked last week (February 24) when a 235ft (77m) superyacht collided with the dock of Sint Maarten Yacht Club in the Caribbean.

Video footage of the incident shows the extent of the damage – while the pier took the brunt of it, the superyacht’s steel hull didn’t come off unscathed.

Computer malfunction was to blame for the sickening superyacht crash, according to local publication The Daily Herald , which adds that no-one was injured as a result.

Article continues below…

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Video: burning superyacht filmed in us virgin islands.

Footage has emerged of a burning superyacht that caught fire on Tuesday in the US Virgin Islands

The incident took place at around 1015 local time and the newspaper added that an insurer had already been to assess the extent of the damage by the end of the day.

If you think you’re having a bad day at work, spare a thought for the captain and crew who had to explain this situation to their yacht’s owner.

Launched by Turkish yard Turquoise Yachts in 2018, Go features a helipad, gym, jacuzzi, beach club, sauna and hospital as well as a master suite and eight guest cabins styled by London-based studio H2 Yacht Design.

She is run by a crew of up to 18 and her twin 2,575hp Caterpillar 3516C engines give her an estimated top speed of 17 knots.

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A spectacular west country rib adventure in search of tall ships, princess f58 first look: bigger, better equipped and more luxurious, latest videos, saxdor 400 gtc tour: düsseldorf launch for new flagship, arksen 85 explorer tour: the ultimate long-range cruiser, sacs rebel 50 tour: the world’s most luxurious rib, fairline targa tour: sensational new british sportscruiser.

By SuperyachtNews 25 Feb 2021

77m Go crashes into dock in St. Maarten

Reports suggest the yacht lost its steering as it was leaving its berth in simpson bay….

Videos have emerged of the 77m motoryacht Go crashing into a dock in Simpson Bay, St Maarten at a slow speed.

Local reporting has attributed the incident to a computer malfunction on board, which allegedly caused the yacht to lose its steering as it was attempting to exit the Simpson Bay Lagoon from its berth at the Yacht Club Isle de Sol marina on Wednesday morning.

The yacht then collided with the wooden dock at St. Maarten Yacht Club. Nobody was on the dock at the time and no injuries have been reported.

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Watch This Uncontrollable Superyacht Repeatedly Crash Into A Dock

The boat certainly did as its ironic name implied: "Go."

You're not likely to see much attention devoted to yachts on a site mostly dedicated to more land-based vehicles unless they involve Rolls-Royce developing a 2,000 horsepower engine or Lamborghini rolling out a luxury watercraft . On the other hand, crashes of any kind of mobile technology tend to draw a slew of sticky eyeballs, in much the way most of us rubberneck while passing a collision on a freeway. Case in point is this misadventure involving a yacht with the ironic moniker "Go," which did as its name implied by plowing into a couple of docks in St. Maarten's Simpson Bay late February.

This Yacht Nearly Took Out A Smaller Boat

It all started when the 250-foot boat was cruising into the port of the Isle de Sol Marina trying to depart from Simpson Bay for a leisurely cruise of the Caribbean. But the situation was far from idyllic when the boat suddenly lurched forward, swerved to miss a boat on the port side, and slammed into the wooden dock.

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When it backed out, the damage appeared to be minimal with little more than scuff marks on a few panels on the yacht's bow. The same couldn't be said for the dock which took out a small section and left a huge gouge in another.

Boat Causes Another Collision

Just as inexplicably, the Yacht powered its engines and moved forward once again. This time, the massive boat wasn't so lucky.

"It's gonna hit concrete on this one," said one calm, but concerned onlooker.

Sure enough, after demolishing a smaller, low-level wooden section, the port side grazed the corner of the more solid foundation, emitting a sound resembling nails on a chalkboard. Pulling away once again, the yacht sported a sizeable indentation on its side.

"Maybe get a bumper sticker that says 'Stupid Driver!'" yelled out one woman at people on the damaged craft.

Yacht Crash Under Investigation

As it turned out, human error wasn't responsible for the mishap. Initially, investigators thought the crash was caused by a faulty computer, but additional reports revealed that the yacht ran into some gear from a nearby sailboat, which locked up the rudder. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. But the dock was a total write-off requiring several weeks of repairs.

Source: Megayacht News ,  YouTube

NEXT: Here's How Much It Cost To Build The World's Most Expensive Luxury Yacht Azzam

WATCH: Billionaire’s $90 Million Yacht Crashes Into Dock

By Jason Hall

March 1, 2021

A super yacht owned by Capri Sun juice tycoon Hans Peter Wild crashed into a dock at in Simpson Bay, St. Marten last week.

The 235-foot vessel experienced a computer malfunction before crashing into a wooden jetty and concrete dock, causing significant damage last Wednesday (February 24), Daily Mail reports.

It was unclear whether Wild, 79, was on board at the time of the crash. The juice tycoon is valued at $3.3 billion, according to Forbes .

Footage of the crash showed the turquoise super yacht GO -- which includes a helipad, gym steam room, swimming pool and its own onboard hospital -- slowly travel through the dock, which includes one clip of an onlooker repeatedly saying "oh my God" as the crash happens.

In a separate clip, a witness is heard saying: "It's hitting concrete now. What's going on?"

It has not yet been determined how much it will cost to repair the super yacht or the dock, but a manager for the yacht club expects the process to last several months, Daily Mail reports.

The yacht's captain was attempting to leave the Simpson Bay Lagoon when the crash took place at 10:15 a.m. on February 24. St. Maarten Yacht Club was been closed in response to the incident.

No injuries were reported during the crash.

Photo: Getty Images

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2 dead after boat collides with yacht in South Florida, police say

• David Goodhue Miami Herald (TNS)

Two men died in a Miami-Dade hospital after the boat they were on collided with a yacht in Biscayne Bay, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife officials.

The crash happened around 6:45 p.m. Sunday off waters near Homestead, Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue said. The cause of the accident is unclear.

The collision was between a 51-foot Azimut yacht with seven people on board and a 17-foot Key West center console boat with two men on board, police with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission noted.

Both the driver and passenger on the Key West vessel were seriously injured and taken to the hospital, where they died, according to Arielle Callender, a fish and wildlife police spokesperson.

Andrea Rudchenco, a Fire Rescue spokesperson, added the men were airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center.

Callender said the crash remains under investigation.

©2024 Miami Herald. Visit  miamiherald.com . Distributed by  Tribune Content Agency LLC.

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New video shows moment tour boats crashed near PortMiami, injuring 13 people

The video shows the boat moving through the water when a second boat comes from the side and crashes into it, by lorena inclán and nbc6 • published february 27, 2024 • updated on february 27, 2024 at 8:37 pm.

New video captured the moments two charter boats crashed near PortMiami earlier this month, in a collision that left 13 people injured.

The video was released late Monday by a personal injury law firm in Miami that told NBC6 they are planning a lawsuit against both companies involved.

The firm, Mausner Graham Injury Law , is representing several of the victims in the crash which sent at least two people to the hospital. Their goal is to receive compensation for some of the passengers involved.

A spokesperson for the firm also told NBC6 that the case highlights the need for wearing life jackets and using engine cut-off switches.

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The firm's clients were visiting Miami from New York when they decided to enjoy a day on the water so they hopped on a speedboat at Bayside.

The video is from a person who was on one of two tour boats on the water around Fisherman’s Channel back on February 11th.

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The video shows the boat moving through the water when a second boat comes from the side and crashes into it.

Officials with the U.S. Coast guard told NBC6 the collision involved the "Obelix” and the "Thriller,” which are both charter boats.

A USCG spokesperson said the “Obelix” was operating illegally.

The owner of that charter previously told NBC6 that no one on his boat was injured, but he didn’t want to comment further.

The person who took the video was on the "Thriller." The attorneys said their clients suffered fractured bones, one lost consciousness, and another suffered a traumatic brain injury.

"Both boats in this instance just were not safe, they failed to maintain a lookout, they failed to avoid a collision, they sped and you can see on this video that our client was lucky enough to take there was an extremely gruesome collision that had safety been followed it was utterly preventable," attorney Thomas Graham said.

The cause of the crash is still being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

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Over a dozen people injured after 2 boats collide near PortMiami

By Hunter Geisel , Peter D'Oench

Updated on: February 12, 2024 / 5:36 AM EST / CBS Miami

MIAMI — Authorities were investigating what led to a crash between two boats Sunday afternoon that led to over a dozen people being hurt near PortMiami.

On Monday, CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench spoke with two of the people who were on the boat and who say they were fortunately not injured.

With permission from his mother, CBS News Miami spoke with one youngster who recalled what happened. The child said, "I heard a bang and I saw a bunch of people on the floor."

His mother, who did not want to be identified, said "It was scary. I saw a number of people falling down on the boat."

Outside Jackson Memorial Hospital, we also spoke with Rabbi Yossi Harlig of the Chabad of Kendall who said his sister and brother-in-law were on the tour boat along with their four children. He said the children were not injured but his sister was beaten and treated at the hospital with a fractured shoulder and pelvis and his brother-in-law had some broken ribs. He said they had come to South Florida from California for his son's bar mitzvah.

He said "My sister was turning around and there was the crash in the last second and she saw it crash into it where she was sitting. She feels thankful. The boat could have tipped over. None of them were wearing life jackets. Something terrible could have happened. I hope they make a full recovery. It just goes to show you how things can change in a second." 

Around 3:15 p.m., over 30 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel, including two fireboats and an air rescue unit — alongside the City of Miami Fire, the Florida Wildlife Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard — responded to reports of a boat collision in Fisherman's Channel near Dodge Island.

According to the Coast Guard, the two watercraft involved were a tour boat and a recreation vessel.

According to MDFR, the response was upgraded due to the number of people involved and the need for additional manpower.

MDFR told CBS News Miami that a total of 13 people were transported by responding agencies to a local hospital, while other patients on the scene were evaluated and released.

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Hunter Geisel is a digital producer at CBS News Miami. Hunter has previously produced digital content for local and national outlets, covering several topics from breaking news and current events to politics and pop culture.

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Inside Below Deck Sailing Yacht ’s Crash, and the Dramatic Aftermath

By Julie Miller

Below Deck viewers have survived kitchen fires, nightmare charter guests , dramatic dismissals, drug scandals , and soured romantic relationships. But Monday’s episode of Below Deck Sailing Yacht, “Total Ship Show,” is unprecedented in franchise history, in terms of its sheer disaster quotient. Within the first five minutes of the episode, the Parsifal yacht crashes into a stone dock in high winds, destroying the end of the vessel and totaling Captain Glenn Shephard ’s already-dented ego. (Last week, Parsifal suffered a less serious collision. We hope the sailing yacht is not cursed.) The rest of the episode unravels like a high-paced thriller set aboard an out-of-control luxury yacht.

The villains: the shrill, gluten-free charter guests, who are too self-involved to notice the Parsifal ’s jacked transom door. The dramatic B-plot: the chef screwing up a five-course meal by serving steak after dessert. As if this were not enough action for a single episode, there is also an STD scare that forces an otherwise respectable woman to reckon with an indiscretion.

“It was almost like an embarrassment of riches,” said Below Deck executive producer Courtland Cox, of the chart-topping chaos in Croatia. “It’s amazing that this was all happening, but it’s also difficult to tell all of these stories in an interesting way within a limited amount of time per episode.” Some viewers complained that the season was starting off too smoothly, but Cox trusted the process and knew that such interesting cast members would yield climactic story lines. “With any great narrative structure, you want to have peaks and valleys that eventually crescendo into something interesting…. The yacht crashing, guests being crazy, and Jean-Luc [Cerza Lanaux] being worried about getting an STD, all that stuff is the seasoning.”

Ahead, Cox and Parsifal chief stew Daisy Kelliher take us behind the scenes of Monday’s bombshell episode to answer all of our burning questions—about everything from the crash to the onboard romances, including Dani’s pregnancy announcement.

Executive producer Cox was tucked away in a tiny control room on the Parsifal during both accidents, where he was able to watch what was happening from three different camera vantage points, and hear what was happening from the walkie-talkie dialogue on deck. Cox said that he knew that the Parsifal was going to hit the dock about five seconds before it happened—when first mate Gary King began calling out the shrinking measurements between the yacht and the dock, but the boat, because of the intense wind and swell, kept hurtling toward the dock at full speed. Because of a mechanical error that short-circuited the thrusters, Captain Glenn was not able to propel the vessel in the reverse direction.

As the ship sped toward the dock, the Below Deck producer juggled a contradictory range of concerns: the fear of a captive passenger aboard an out-of-control vessel; worry for his fellow shipmates; heartbreak for Captain Glenn, who was about to bite it in front of multiple cameras; and, conversely, the shark-like instincts of a reality-TV producer keen to capture the chaotic melee in all of its gruesome glory.

“The human part of me, my heart aches for Glenn,” Cox told Vanity Fair. Still, he continued, “My job is to capture what’s actually happening—so we told our camera operators, ‘Stay on Glenn.’ We don’t push right up in his face or get in his way, but the story in the moment was that Glenn hit the dock. How was he going to rectify the situation?”

In addition to seeing the crash, viewers also witness Captain Glenn’s spirit breaking close up—as the sweet Parsifal pilot realizes, in devastatingly real time, that he has not only incurred thousands of dollars in yacht damages, but has done so with a camera trained on him.

“I probably watched this episode 15 times in various incarnations, and every time I see Glenn’s face in the immediate aftermath of hitting that dock, I still get very emotional,” said Cox. “It’s a catastrophic moment for any yacht captain when you do damage to a boat. It’s the worst possible thing. And I also know that that’s compounded by a factor of a million because there are TV cameras on you.”

Cox has produced 16 seasons’ worth of Below Deck, and called the crash “the second-most intense moment ever on the series.” (The first-most intense was a near-death accident in 2018 during which deckhand Ashton Pienaar was pulled overboard after his ankle was caught in ropes.) “As a producer, it’s amazingly compelling. But as a person onboard, it’s terrifying…. But Glenn is a consummate professional. He didn’t try to deflect or make excuses or try to tap dance his way out of it. He went quickly into crisis mode, damage mode.”

Parsifal chief stew Daisy Kelliher said that watching the crash in the episode was worse than living it, “because I was downstairs when it happened. I have never seen a boat that crashed the dock or been in a boat that crashed the dock.”

By Richard Lawson

Speaking about Glenn, Kelliher said, “He was pretty upset at the time, but you quickly calm down. It was an accident, and the main thing is nobody got hurt. It’s like banging your car. You get the insurance sorted. You learn from it. And you move on.”

How quickly did the episode’s events happen in real life?

The unfolded over the course of about 72 hours, according to Cox. “The boat hits the dock, it looks terrible, and Glenn’s like, ‘Well, the guests are getting here in four hours.’… The crew did a great job at kind of compartmentalizing, and putting the dock behind us as these charter guests come on. And the story becomes about J.L.’ s anxiety about the STD, and [chef] Natasha’s anxiety about these guests having crazy demands that are emotionally taxing on the heels of a traumatic event…. It’s exhausting for them.”

What did producers make of another unprecedented plot twist: J.L.’s on-camera concerns about a potential sexually transmitted disease?

This twist surprised even Cox. “I’m a fossil who grew up in the ’70s and ’80s,” said Cox. “What was going through my head was, ‘There’s a very easy way he could have prevented this—by using some kind of protection. If you roll the dice, you kinda gotta accept what happens to you. I’m not a heartless monster TV producer. I don’t want anyone to ever suffer or go through something they have an existential crisis over. In that moment, you’re hoping that it’s at least one of the lesser STDs that is easily treated.”

When did producers discover that Dani was pregnant? (The cast member revealed her pregnancy on Instagram last month.)

“Dani brought it to our attention when we were pretty far into the postproduction process,” said Cox. “Even once Dani found out, I think she kind of wanted to sit with [the news] herself. Then she let us know and said, ‘Hey, just so you know, I’m pregnant.’ We said, ‘Okay, great.’ I left that up to her and how much information she wanted to give us. My first reaction was, ‘That’s fantastic. Congratulations.’ Because she made it clear throughout the season that she wanted a family. The rest of that is for Dani to figure out.”

“I really don’t ask Dani much about it,” added Kelliher in a separate phone call. “I’m very aware that that she probably feels like she’s explaining herself to a lot of people. So I try and respect her privacy. We’ve spoken a little about it, but I figure the less I know the better.”

Do Daisy and Natasha eventually get to a place of mutual understanding and respect?

“I didn’t mind her,” said Kelliher. “On the show it looks like we hated each other. We were very civil with each other, and would laugh and sit with each other. It wasn’t constant arguing—that only came when it was time to serve meals…. At that stage, I had kind of given up, because I had tried everything. She didn’t want my help. She didn’t want to communicate with me…. I’m asking you if you’re serving five courses, you’re telling me no. I could stand here and keep arguing, but I wasn’t going to win in this.… We have a good relationship now. I have respect for her. But that [tension] never changes.”

What is Daisy’s read on the love triangle tensions between Gary, Sydney, and Alli?

“I wish I had been there for some of the conversations [between the three of them], because I don’t think they would have escalated as much,” said Kelliher. “I do think Sydney was pretty intense. I knew she was upset and understood why she was upset. If you’re a girl, it’s embarrassing if somebody chooses someone over you…. But some of the things she said were quite mean to Ali, and I didn’t really like that. If I had been there, that wouldn’t have happened because I wouldn’t have allowed it.”

“I’ve definitely seen love triangles. I’ve been involved in love triangles. This was intense because it escalated so quickly. I didn’t really get it. I guess maybe we’re all intense people—maybe that’s why you do a TV show about yachting. But I did find the whole thing a bit weird from all sides. I was like, ‘We’ve known each other [for] like three weeks…and don’t even know each others’ last names.’ Settle down.”

Below Deck Sailing Yacht airs on Bravo at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

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Fundraiser for Monroe County crash victims exceeds $200,000 in donations

An online fundraiser organized through GoFundMe for medical and funeral expenses for one of the many families injured in what authorities said was a drunken driving crash Saturday at a child’s boat club birthday party has raised more than $200,000 .

In amounts ranging from $10 to $5,000, thousands of donors have contributed since the fundraiser was organized by Diane Harrington, who, in her fundraising message, identified herself as the aunt of the two young children, a brother and sister, killed in the crash.

"My sister and her family have lost their two babies to a drunk driver," Harrington wrote. "Mom (Mariah) and oldest brother (Jayden) are still in critical condition at this time. Monies raised will help give Lana age 8 and Zayn age 5 a proper funeral and burial service. Left over monies will help the family with housing and medical expenses."

More: Driver in Monroe County boat club crash faces 8 counts, including 2nd-degree homicide

More: Mom of siblings killed in Monroe County boat club crash sues suspect, tavern

Harrington added that services will be announced later.

The Free Press sent a message to Harrington through the fundraising app.

Officials confirmed the names on Monday of the young siblings who were killed — Alanah and Zayn Phillips — two others in critical condition, including an 11-year-old boy and a 31-year-old woman, and three more in serious condition, a 14-year-old boy, 16-year-old girl, and an 18-year-old woman.

As of Tuesday morning, the donation tally had exceeded the goal, with more pouring in.

More: Child, woman in critical condition in aftermath of Monroe County boat club crash

In an update, Harrington wrote: "Jayden had a long surgery yesterday and will have quite the recovery ahead of him, but he is awake and in the comfort of his family. Mariah is now awake and also has a long recovery ahead of her."

She also asked for prayers "as the family navigates through this tough time."

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or [email protected].

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Young brother and sister dead, several hurt when vehicle crashes into Michigan birthday party

Surveillance video from a Michigan home near where a suspected drunken driver slammed into a child’s weekend birthday party shows just how fast the driver was going before the crash happened. It also picks up the screaming and confusion afterward.

A law enforcement official monitors the perimeter of the Swan Creek Boat Club after a driver crashed a vehicle through a building where a children’s birthday party was taking place, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Berlin Township, Mich. (Kathleen Kildee/Detroit News via AP)

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A University of Michigan Health Systems Survival Flight responds to the Swan Creek Boat Club after a driver crashed a vehicle through a building where a children’s birthday party was taking place, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Berlin Township, Mich. (Kathleen Kildee/Detroit News via AP)

Authorities respond to the Swan Creek Boat Club after a driver crashed a vehicle through a building where a children’s birthday party was taking place, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Berlin Township, Mich. (Kathleen Kildee/Detroit News via AP)

BERLIN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A young brother and sister died and several people were injured, some of them seriously, when a vehicle driven by a suspected drunken driver crashed into a young child’s birthday party Saturday at a boat club, a Michigan sheriff said.

An 8-year-old girl and her 5-year-old brother died at the scene in the crash, when a 66-year-old woman drove 25 feet (7.6 meters) into the building about 3 p.m. at the Swan Creek Boat Club in Berlin Township, about 30 miles (48.2 kilometers) south of Detroit, Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough said.

“The scene was described by the first responders as extremely chaotic, with high level of emotions of those directly involved and those who witnessed this horrific incident,” he said.

Three children and six adults were taken to area hospitals by two helicopters or ambulances with life-threatening injuries, he said. Others injured were given first aid at the scene and some were taken to hospitals by private vehicles.

Goodnough did not identify the woman driving the vehicle but said she was taken into custody and held at the Monroe County Jail suspected of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing death. She was cooperating with authorities and likely would face more charges as the investigation continues, he said.

Authorities were notified the woman may have been at a nearby tavern before the incident, Goodnough said, adding they closed the establishment and planned to execute a search warrant there as part of the investigation.

Drunk driver in Michigan birthday party crash that killed young siblings, 4 and 8, charged with murder

An intoxicated driver was charged with murder after crashing into a Michigan business where a child's birthday party was being held and killing two young siblings, authorities announced Tuesday.

Marshella Chidester, 66, hit a building at Swan Boat Club in Berlin Charter Township around 3 p.m. on Saturday. It came to a stop 25 feet inside where the party was taking place, Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough told reporters Saturday.

In an arraignment hearing Tuesday, Chidester was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of operating under the influence of alcohol causing death and four counts of operating under the influence of alcohol causing serious injury. Her bond was set at $1.5 million. If convicted, Chidester could be sentenced to up to life in prison.

Zayn Phillips, 4, and his sister, Alanah Phillips, 8, were declared dead at the scene, Goodnough said in an update Monday. The sheriff's office previously reported that Zayn was 5-years-old.

A third sibling survived with “severe injuries," according to Andrew Brodie, the superintendent of Flat Rock Community Schools, an area public school district.

At the arraignment, Bill Colovos, an attorney for Chidester, said she has a history of epileptic seizures in her legs and lost control of the car when she crashed. He also said that his client only had one glass of wine four hours before the crash, according to a search warrant executed at the bar where she allegedly was.

"This is not a monster," Colovos said about his client, adding that she doesn't have a criminal history. "It’s horrible what happened, absolutely horrible. I have two children. It's absolutely horrible. But some things we don’t have control over."

Chidester was seen in court with a cast on her right arm, wearing a striped white and black prison uniform.

Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffery A. Yorkey refuted the claim that Chidester had a seizure during the crash and said that "her blood alcohol level was significantly over the legal limit." He didn't mention what her blood alcohol level was.

"There is no indication, whatsoever, in any of the evidence that we have uncovered in this case, that the defendant suffered from a seizure at the time of this incident," Yorkey said during the hearing.

"She indicated herself that she had some seizure issues and she was on some medication, and that she wasn't supposed to be drinking, but admitted that she had been drinking that day," Yorkey said.

A woman who identified herself as the grandmother of Zayn and Alanah spoke at the arraignment, accusing Chidester of drinking and driving.

"She chose to drink and drive and she took my grandbabies from us," the woman said.

A woman who identified herself as the aunt of the two children said she was at the scene of the crash, and saw her niece and nephew in their final moments.

"They walked into that birthday party having a fun time," she said. "They were sitting at that table, eating, and this woman crashed her car through this building, destroying all of our lives. Not just my family, everyone else that was in that building."

She says her other nephew and her sister, the children's mother, were hurt in the crash and are still fighting for their lives.

"I had to be the one to tell my sister her babies were gone when they removed her ventilator yesterday," the woman said. "She said 'How am I supposed to live without my babies?'"

"No one should ever have to go to a birthday party thinking that they’re gonna die," she said tearfully.

Zayn's birthday was coming up next month, according to Monroe County Undersheriff Joe Hammond.

"We were supposed to be planning a birthday party for Zayn, not a funeral," the child's aunt said.

Approximately 13 others were injured in the crash, Goodnough said on Saturday. Nine of those people, who range in age from 11 to 66-years-old, were hospitalized, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Five remain in critical condition, including an 11-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl, an 18-year-old woman and a 31-year-old woman.

The four other victims, who range in age from 57 to 70, had minor injuries. A 42-year-old man also received treatment on his own for minor injuries.

Chidester's next court appearance is scheduled for April 30.

Breaking news reporter

Young brother and sister dead, several hurt when vehicle crashes into Michigan birthday party

A Michigan sheriff says a young brother and sister died and several people were injured, some of them seriously, when a vehicle driven by a suspected drunken driver crashed into a child's birthday party at a boat club

BERLIN TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A young brother and sister died and several people were injured, some of them seriously, when a vehicle driven by a suspected drunken driver crashed into a young child's birthday party Saturday at a boat club, a Michigan sheriff said.

An 8-year-old girl and her 5-year-old brother died at the scene in the crash, when a 66-year-old woman drove 25 feet (7.6 meters) into the building about 3 p.m. at the Swan Creek Boat Club in Berlin Township, about 30 miles (48.2 kilometers) south of Detroit, Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough said.

“The scene was described by the first responders as extremely chaotic, with high level of emotions of those directly involved and those who witnessed this horrific incident,” he said.

Three children and six adults were taken to area hospitals by two helicopters or ambulances with life-threatening injuries, he said. Others injured were given first aid at the scene and some were taken to hospitals by private vehicles.

Goodnough did not identify the woman driving the vehicle but said she was taken into custody and held at the Monroe County Jail suspected of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing death. She was cooperating with authorities and likely would face more charges as the investigation continues, he said.

Authorities were notified the woman may have been at a nearby tavern before the incident, Goodnough said, adding they closed the establishment and planned to execute a search warrant there as part of the investigation.

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GoFundMe launched for siblings killed in crash during birthday party near Monroe

• Updated: Apr. 22, 2024, 10:03 a.m. |
• Published: Apr. 22, 2024, 9:54 a.m.

Authorities respond to the Swan Creek Boat Club after a driver crashed a vehicle through a building where a children's birthday party was taking place, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Berlin Township, Mich. (Kathleen Kildee/Detroit News via AP) AP Kathleen Kildee/Detroit News via AP

• Matt Durr | [email protected]

MONROE COUNTY, MI -- Family members of the two children killed Saturday after a driver crashed through a wall and into a birthday party have launched a GoFundMe to help cover expenses for the family.

The campaign is seeking $200,000 to help with the funerals for the victims, an 8-year-old girl and her 5-year-old brother identified as “Lana” and “Zayn” by the aunt who launched the campaign. Any money left over will be used to help other injured members of the family. According to the campaign, the mother of the children and an older brother of the children were also critically injured in the crash.

So far, the campaign has raised approximately $160,000 as of Monday morning.

Along with those victims, several other people were critically injured Saturday when the suspect drove through the wall of the Swan Creek Boat Club in Berlin Township, around 3 p.m. The suspect drove her vehicle approximately 25 feet into the building, hitting multiple people in her path. During a press conference Saturday, Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough said at least 15 people were injured.

The suspect has been identified only as a 66-year-old woman, but police confirmed she was being held at the Monroe County Jail on suspected of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing death. She is expected to be charged in the case and her identity will be made public once she is formally arraigned on charges.

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Officials identify siblings killed in boat club crash, release conditions of injured

Update on Tuesday, April 23

The suspect in the crash, 66-year-old Marshella Chidester was arraigned in court on eight charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of OWI causing death and four counts of OWI causing serious injury. She was given a $1.5 million bond with substance abuse monitoring.

Watch the full arraignment below

The arraignment was interrupted several times on Zoom by people watching, including a woman who said she was the grandmother of the children who were killed.

Raquel Smothers, the aunt of the three children also spoke during the arraignment in person saying, "We were supposed to be planning a birthday party for Zayn not a funeral."

"They walked into that birthday party having a fun time. They were sitting at that table eating and this woman crashed her car through this building destroying all of our lives," she added.

VIDEO: Hear from the aunt during the arraignment below:

Original story below

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office has identified the two siblings who were killed in the crash at Swan Boat Club in Berlin Township on Saturday afternoon.

According to the sheriff's office, 8-year-old Alanah Phillips and 4-year-old Zayn Phillips were pronounced dead at the scene after officials say a 66-year-old woman crashed into a building where a kid's birthday party was being held.

Nine other people were injured and transported to area hospitals via ambulance or air ambulance. Their conditions are as follows:

• 31-year-old woman remains in critical condition
• 11-year-old boy remains in critical condition
• 18-year-old woman in serious condition
• 16-year-old girl in serious condition
• 14-year-old boy in serious condition
• 70-year-old woman with minor injuries
• 66-year-old woman with minor injuries
• 62-year-old woman with minor injuries
• 57-year-old woman with minor injuries

Officials say a 42-year-old man also sustained minor injuries and sought treatment on his own. The arraignment for the 66-year-old woman accused in the crash is expected to happen on Tuesday.

Community members have been stopping by the Swan Boat Club paying their respects to the victims.

A small memorial has been set up outside the building.

“We couldn’t believe it. We still can’t believe it,” said Ed Wenderski, a Berlin Township resident.

VIDEO: Watch Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough provide an update after the tragedy:

“Everybody’s sad, my wife was crying,” Wenderski said. “We just feel sorry for you, in our prayers.”

Wenderski lives down the street from the boat club.

He says his son’s pickup truck was hit on Saturday. He believes it was by the same driver who crashed into the boat club.

“I don’t know if you can see the tire tracks. His back tire was probably right here… We think it got pushed back by 12 feet,” Wenderski said.

VIDEO: Video shows the vehicle right before the deadly crash into the building:

We also spoke with another neighbor who was out with his young daughter as she was riding her bike.

He had this message for the victims’ family.

“Absolutely heartbreaking. It’s just a terrible tragedy. We are very sorry for your losses and you are in our thoughts and prayers,” Steve Cybulla of Berlin Township said.

The two siblings who were killed in the crash were students of Flat Rock Community Schools.

The district sent out a letter regarding the situation. Here’s some of what it said.

It is with a heavy heart that I reach out to you today following the tragic events that unfolded yesterday. A senseless accident occurred where a drunk driver crashed into Swan Creek Boat Club, resulting in the loss of two siblings who were students in our school (Early Childhood Center, Bobcean Elementary) and severe injuries of a third sibling (Simpson Middle School). Our entire school community is reeling from this devastating news, and our hearts ache for the families and loved ones of those affected by this unimaginable tragedy. Words cannot adequately express the depth of our sorrow, nor can they ease the pain of those who are grieving. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with every one of you during this incredibly difficult time. In times of tragedy, it is essential that we come together as a community to support one another. Now, more than ever, we must extend our compassion and solidarity to those who need it most. As we navigate through this challenging time, let us lean on each other for strength and comfort, and let us show kindness and understanding to all who are affected by this heartbreaking loss. When our students return to school on Monday, our counselors and social workers will be on hand to provide support and assistance to any students and families who may need it. We are committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment where everyone feels supported, heard, and valued as we begin the healing process together.

“I’m very heartbroken. I couldn’t imagine such a tragic thing to happen ," Naomi Rascol, a Flat Rock resident said.

Rascol's daughter was friends with Alanah Phillips. Her daughter and Alanah both went to Bobcean Elementary in Flat Rock.

“Sometimes, I would see her coming off the bus walking home and my daughter and her would play together, and it’s just really hard, " Rascol said.

If you would like to help the family pay for funeral services, you can do so at the verified GoFundMe link here.

A GoFundMe has also been set up for on of the victims in the hospital. This page is also verified.

Meanwhile, the suspect is currently being held at the Monroe County Jail.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the Monroe County Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau at 734-240-7530.

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Former commodore of Monroe Co. boat club held in jail after fatal birthday party crash

Berlin Township — A former commodore of the Swan Boat Club is being held on suspicion of drunken driving in Monroe County and is being arraigned Tuesday as the community continues to mourn two children who were killed by a vehicle that plowed into a birthday party they were attending at the club.

Monroe County Prosecutor Jeffery Yorkey said Tuesday in a statement that an arraignment is being held at 11 a.m. before District Court Judge Christian Horkey for Marshella Chidester of Monroe in connection with the Saturday crash at the Swan Boat Club.

Chidester, 66, is being held in the county jail for allegedly operating under the influence causing death, Monroe County Sheriff’s jail officer Caleb Church said Monday night.

Michigan VINE, an offender custody service provided to victims by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and law enforcement agencies, also showed Chidester in custody in the Monroe County Jail, although the county jail lookup did not show a record for her.

Records from the Secretary of State's Office indicate Chidester was arrested Saturday and that law enforcement confiscated her driver’s license and issued a temporary paper license — known as a 625G permit . Michigan law says a driver’s license must be confiscated if a driver is intoxicated or refuses to perform a substance test. The permit doesn’t restrict driving privileges instantly; it remains in effect until the individual’s case is resolved.

Chidester, a former commodore of the Swan Boat Club, lives about 200 yards from the facility, located where Swan Creek flows into Lake Erie.

The developments came Monday as grief and pain continued to ripple through the Monroe County community, two days after the two children were killed and at least 13 others injured.

On Monday afternoon, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office identified the two children killed as siblings Alanah Phillips, 8, and Zayn Phillips, 4. They died at the scene, the sheriff's department said.

Nine other people were taken to hospitals, including a 31-year-old woman in critical condition; an 11-year-old boy in critical condition; an 18-year-old woman in serious condition; a 16-year-old girl in serious condition; and a 14-year-old boy in serious condition, according to an update from the Sheriff's Office on Monday afternoon.

Three women, ages 66, 62, and 57, all suffered minor injuries. A 42-year-old man also sought treatment on his own for minor injuries, the Sheriff's Office said.

The older brother of the two siblings who were killed in the crash and the mother were listed in critical condition after the crash but have been improving, according to a GoFundMe set up by the children's aunt, Diane Harrington. The News verified the fundraiser as being authentic with GoFundMe.

"The family can not thank everyone enough for the continued support at a time like this," Harrington posted Monday. "(The childrens' brother) had a long surgery yesterday and will have quite the recovery ahead of him but he is awake and in the comfort of his family. Mariah (the childrens' mother) is now awake and also has a long recovery ahead of her."

A makeshift memorial of stuffed animals and crucifixes emerged on Monday outside the boat club in Berlin Township, where the party was held Saturday afternoon. A club employee who did not want to be identified said Monday that the suspected motorist was a volunteer there.

A statement from the boat club's board of directors Monday said they have "no profound words" for the "unimaginable tragedy" — "only feelings."

"Sadness, shock, frustration," said a statement on Facebook. "We are a fellowship of people who band together when tragedy strikes. We need time to process the grief, support each other, support the families directly and indirectly involved, to be in each other’s company. As we all try to move forward with our grief and sadness, we need to give ourselves grace to grieve and know that Swan Boat Club is committed to our members and our community."

The boat club on Brancheau Street was closed Monday. Boards, painted blue, covered the hole where the vehicle hit the building.

A couple in a red Ford F-150 truck pulled up to the site and wordlessly added a stuffed animal to the collection. They declined to comment.

Dave Reaume, the Berlin Township supervisor, said the community's hopes and prayers are with the victims' families. He also extended thanks to the first responders involved.

"I want the residents to take time and heal and take it day by day," he told The News. "You don't think something like this is ever going to happen in your community."

The suspect crashed into the Swan Creek Boat Club in the 6000 block of Brancheau in Berlin Township at about 3 p.m. Saturday, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Her car landed 25 feet into the building, Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough said.

Officials received information on Saturday that the suspected driver might have been at Verna’s Tavern earlier on Saturday.

The tavern was open Monday with a few patrons who declined comment. Authorities closed the bar Saturday after the crash and were executing a search warrant to learn more about the day’s business, Goodnough said at the Saturday night press conference.

The tavern's owner wasn't available for comment, an employee said Monday.