Croatian authorities have launched a formal investigation into a collision in the port of Rijeka in which a Turkish-registered cargo ship struck the historic vessel Galeb, officials said on Saturday.
The incident occurred late on Friday as the cargo ship Deniz Akay, sailing under the flag of Barbados, was manoeuvring to leave the port for Turkey when it lost engine power and struck the Galeb, a vessel moored at the Rijeka breakwater.
No injuries were reported, and there were no signs of marine pollution, Captain Darko Glažar of the Rijeka Port Authority said, citing preliminary information. Croatian authorities have prohibited the Deniz Akay from departing until the causes of the collision are clarified.
The Galeb — once a school ship for the Yugoslav Navy and later the floating residence of former Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito — has significant cultural value and has been undergoing restoration. It was declared a cultural asset by the Croatian Ministry of Culture and is part of a project aimed at boosting tourism through industrial heritage.
Croatia’s Agency for Accident Investigation in Air, Maritime and Rail Traffic is leading the inquiry, working with the vessel’s flag state authorities to establish the sequence of events and assess damage.
Rijeka Mayor Iva Rinčić, who visited the scene on Saturday, reiterated the city’s priority of safeguarding people and public property. She said the local government would seek compensation for damage once the full extent of losses is determined.