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Billionaire's Superyacht Crashes Into Bridge on Caribbean Island in Viral Video

A combination of adverse wind and current conditions reportedly caused the superyacht, named Ecstasea, to swerve into the bridge

Jason Hahn is a former Human Interest and Sports Reporter for PEOPLE. He started at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter in 2017 and interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. He has a B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City.

A massive superyacht slammed into a bridge in the Caribbean country of Sint Maarten last weekend, and the jaw-dropping crash was captured in a video that has gone viral on social media.

According to Boat International , a combination of adverse wind and current conditions caused the superyacht, named Ecstasea, to swerve right and collide into a portion of the Simpson Bay Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

In footage of the incident, the ship is seen ripping a control booth from the bridge as onlookers watch from just a few yards away. An operator jumps out of the booth just before it is torn away.

“F—ing hell!” someone can be heard saying in the video as the booth falls into the harbor.

The ship appeared to be undamaged despite the impact.

“It was tricky — the vessel had some difficulties,” Simpson Bay Lagoon Corporation project manager Bertrand Peters told Boat International . “The impact took out the booth but the controls and gear were all intact so the bridge remains fully operational and opening times will not be affected.”

As noted by the New York Post , the superyacht — currently owned by Pakistani billionaire Alshair Fiyaz — is 282 feet long, has its own movie theater, spa and multiple bars. It has a crew of 24 , according to Maritime Bulletin. It’s unknown if Fiyaz was on board at the time of the incident.

The ship was initially built for Russian-Israeli businessman Roman Abramovich in 2004 , the New Zealand Herald reported. It was reportedly sold five years later to Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi for $180 million, and Fiyaz purchased it in 2014.

Sint Maarten is located in the southern part of an island shared by Saint Martin, and is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

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Superyacht slams into bridge in St. Maarten, viral video shows

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Now that’s too close for comfort.

An enormous luxury superyacht recently crashed into a bridge in St. Maarten, and must-see video footage of the accident has gone viral on social media.

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On Sunday afternoon, the ship's captain reportedly lost control of the 282-foot yacht, named Ecstasea, as it entered Simpson Bay Lagoon while the Simpson Bay Bridge was open. While passing beneath the bridge, the superyacht veered right and its observation deck ripped off the bridge’s control booth.

Adverse weather conditions, including gale force winds, allegedly factored into causing the crash, Boat International reports.

No one was injured in the accident. People on the observation platform rushed out of the way as the Ecstasea’s bow sped by them, and the bridge operator quickly jumped out of the booth just before it got side-swiped, video footage shows.

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Remarkably, the bridge’s operational controls were not damaged during the mishap, and the bridge is still fully functional, Simpson Bay Lagoon Corporation project manager Bertrand Peters said.

“It was tricky – the vessel had some difficulties. The impact took out the booth but the controls and gear were all intact so the bridge remains fully operational and opening times will not be affected,” Peters commented. “Visitors are therefore still being welcomed to enter the bay.”

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Video footage of the unbelievable collision has since gone viral on Twitter, receiving over 4.8 million views and 46,000 shares as of Thursday morning.

Some of the commenters were also amused by two wine-drinking women who didn’t move from their seats near the bridge’s railing as the Ecstasea swerved dangerously close. Some users agreed that the onlookers evoked "the level of chill" they personally wanted to channel in 2020.

The impressive Ecstasea superyacht was once owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who sold it to the crown prince of Abu Dhabi in 2009 for $120 million, The Sun reports. It traded hands again when it was purchased by entrepreneur Alshair Fiyaz in 2014.

The impressive Ecstasea superyacht can comfortably accommodate up to 15 guests and 27 crew members. (Getty)

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The Ecstasea was delivered to her first owner in 2004 and can comfortably accommodate up to 15 guests and 27 crew members, per Yacht Charter Fleet . The ship reportedly boasts WiFi, a deck Jacuzzi, a gym and air conditioning.

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Viral Video Shows Superyacht Crashing Into Bridge Control Booth in St. Maarten

A $75 million yacht owned by Pakistani billionaire Alshair Fiyaz rammed into a control booth in the Caribbean, destroying the structure.

Boat International reported that the yacht Ecstasea entered Simpson Bay Lagoon on the island of St. Martin on December 15. Due to what is believed to be a combination of high winds and current conditions, it began veering to the right outside of the pilot's control.

In a video posted on SuperYachtFan , an observation platform on the bow of the Ecstasea hit the control booth of the Simpson Bay Bridge, tearing through the structure and knocking it into the water. The bridge's operator was able to jump free of the building and make it to safety.

Bystanders on the scene captured the entire incident on video and uploaded it to social media.

Although the control booth structure was destroyed, the bridge controls were undamaged and the Simpson Bay Bridge will remain operational. The boat itself incurred minor damage.

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Ecstasea was commissioned by Russian-Israeli businessman Roman Abramovich, who built a fortune during the early 1990s as the Soviet Union opened up to private businesses. Starting out selling dolls and toys, he expanded his holdings to oil, metals and other resources.

By the middle of the decade, he had become close with President Boris Yeltsin and moved into an apartment in the Kremlin, according to The Guardian . In 1999, he was elected governor of the province of Chukotka.

Abramovitch was also an early supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin. His career has also been dogged with controversy, as a 2008 article in the Times of London reported that he had admitted to paying out billions of dollars in bribes and protection money to secure his aluminum interests in Russia.

2004 saw him commission the construction of Ecstasea from the First Export Association of Dutch Shipbuilders, a collaboration between two Dutch shipyards known for building the custom superyachts. At the time, it was the largest vessel the group had built.

Composed of solid steel, Ecstasea measures 282 feet from bow to stern and boasts a host of amenities. An enclosed helicopter hangar on the foredeck is paired with an open landing pad in the aft. Inside, the ship features seven passenger cabins and 12 for the crew, along with a cinema, exercise room, sauna and multiple bars.

In 2009, Abramovich sold the vessel to Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, for $120 million. Sheikh Mohammed then sold it to shipping magnate Fiyaz in 2014.

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June 6, 2023

SEA ISLE CITY, NJ — The U.S. Coast Guard Reports a 52-foot Viking Sky Bridge is shown after colliding with the Townsend’s Inlet Bridge causing it to sink in the Townsend’s Inlet June 6, 2023. The vessel had moored back up after the collision and all persons were safe without injury.

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(U.S. Coast Guard photos)

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