The 32-meter-long yacht that ran aground inside the port of Horta, in the Azores, eventually broke free by its own means in the afternoon, revealed the captain of the port of Horta.
“It was only possible in the afternoon, with a team of divers, to assess the situation,” explained Amílcar Gomes Brás, captain of the port of Horta, adding that the divers put the iron ahead of the vessel and “with the strength of the mooring, it was possible to free the ship,” taking advantage of the rising tide.
The American-flagged “Anne S. Pierce” was trying to dock at Horta marina at around 9am on Thursday when it ran aground in a shallower area, near the inclined plane used for beaching boats.
According to a source from Portos dos Açores, the captain of the yacht refused to dock at the place indicated by the Marina director and moved to an area that has a smaller quota than the vessel’s draft (four meters), probably pushed by the wind that was blowing at the time.
The Captaincy of the Port of Horta and Portos dos Açores still tried to tow the yacht using a small tugboat, but to no avail.
“Another assessment will now be made at the quay, when the ship docks, to see the extent of the damage caused to the side of the vessel,” explained the captain of the port of Horta, adding that only after this technical assessment will it be known whether or not the yacht will be allowed to sail again.
The “Anne S. Pierce” was built in Canada in 1982, at the time as a fishing boat, but was later adapted into a luxury yacht.