The crew members of a luxury yacht, Utopia IV, have been awarded more than $2.8 million in damages after a high-profile legal battle over a 2021 collision that sank a product tanker near the Bahamas.
The jury’s decision came after a lengthy trial in Miami, ending on April 17, 2025.
On December 23, 2021, the 64-meter Italian-built superyacht Utopia IV was travelling at about 20 knots when it struck the stern of the 750-dwt product tanker Tropic Breeze at sea.
The collision happened late at night while both vessels were sailing away from New Providence Island in the Bahamas.
The impact pierced the tanker’s hull, causing it to sink within 20 minutes in about 2,000 meters of water.
The tanker had been carrying around 156,500 gallons of fuel at the time, all of which was lost in the accident.
The seven-member crew onboard the tanker managed to evacuate into lifeboats and were rescued safely.
No fatalities were reported from either vessel, but serious injuries occured aboard Utopia IV.
An investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the main cause of the crash was the failure of both vessels to maintain proper lookout.
Per report, Utopia IV’s bridge team did not detect the Tropic Breeze on radar or visually, despite overtaking the tanker.
The yacht’s S-band radar was not operational, and the only available radar was set to a limited range of three nautical miles.
The bosun, who was alone on watch in the wheelhouse at the time, told investigators that spray from the bow affected visibility.
The NTSB also stated that the AIS (Automatic Identification System) of the tanker was not working, and the tanker’s bridge team had also failed to maintain a proper lookout, contributing to the accident.
The yacht was owned by US retail billionaire J.R. Ridinger, who passed away in 2022. At the time of the crash, Utopia IV had 12 crew members and 7 charter guests onboard.
The vessel sustained minor damage at the bow and remained afloat.
After the incident, three crew members- Eric Ward (electro-technical officer), Fred Wennberg (chief engineer) and Samuel Parrott (deckhand)-filed a lawsuit under the Jones Act, citing unseaworthiness, negligence, and failure to provide maintenance, cure, and wages.
They also included unpaid medical expenses and emotional distress in their claims.
All three plaintiffs reported injuries from the collision. Ward claimed a fractured ankle and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Parrott reported a fractured foot and PTSD, and Wennberg cited whiplash, PTSD, and other serious injuries, some of which he said occurred during earlier incidents aboard the yacht that summer.
The ETO testified that he was injured in the main salon during the crash and again on the aft deck while assisting with guest evacuation.
The chief engineer has a history of injuries aboard Utopia IV, both before and during the incident.
The deckhand suffered injuries to his foot and leg while assisting in the galley.
The trial lasted nearly three weeks. Plaintiffs were represented by maritime law firm Moore & Co. from Coral Gables, Florida, known for their work in seafarer rights.
The defense admitted liability for the collision mid-trial and acknowledged that Captain Matthew Inglis had left the bridge while the yacht was moving at full speed at night, leaving an untrained bosun in charge.
Additional complaints included the captain’s alleged desertion of his post for about 15 minutes before the crash and another near-grounding incident after the yacht returned to port.
The case also revealed that the yacht’s stabilisers were not set to zero-speed mode, causing heavy rolling at the time of the crash.
Utopia Yachting LLC, the yacht’s ownership company, was found to have delayed or failed to pay medical expenses, wages, and maintenance to the crew.
According to court records, Ward was awarded $805,000, Parrott received $591,000, and Wennberg was granted $1,492,300. The total jury award reached $2,888,300.
Court documents revealed that Parrott had gone unpaid for 11 months, during which time he was also overpaid $17,100 in maintenance.
However, the jury still awarded punitive damages for delays in payment to both Parrott and Ward. Defense lawyers argued that these delays did not constitute violations, but the jury concluded that Utopia Yachting had failed to pay an medical costs for two of five reported incidents, despite the company covering some earlier treatments.
After the incident, Utopia IV underwent repairs and refitting and is currently listed for sale at $44 million, with all US import duties paid.
Reference: dockwalk
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