Six Injured After Motor Yacht Loon Tender Accident (2025)

On the evening of Dec. 21, 2024, Reel Wild, M/Y Loon’s tender, ran onto rocks in St. Barths. M/Y Loon is a 68-meter superyacht that has more than 200,000 subscribers on YouTube, with the vessel’s crew posting videos about life on board the superyacht.

Le Journal de Saint-Barth, a local newspaper in St. Barths, was the first to report on the incident. Eleven occupants were reportedly on Reel Wild at the time of the crash, with six being transported to Irénée de Bruyn hospital, according to their report. One of the occupants was ejected from the boat on impact and had serious facial injuries, eventually being transferred by medical plane to Miami for further treatment, their report states. It is currently unclear as to what caused the accident.

In a report published on Jan. 9, Le Journal de Saint-Barth confirmed that all 11 occupants were crewmembers and that the crewmember ejected from the vessel was a young woman. They also reported that an investigation by the Maritime Affairs of French Guiana is currently underway. Their report also states that onboard instruments were seized to determine who was at the helm of Reel Wild at the time of the incident and that crewmembers refused toxicology tests at the hospital on advice of a lawyer from the U.S. and St. Barths.

Six Injured After Motor Yacht Loon Tender Accident (1)

Loon later confirmed the incident on their Patreon page, writing, “To our valued Patreon community, we want to address the recent accident involving our tender, Reel Wild. Thankfully, everyone is okay, and we want to reassure you that the situation isn’t as severe as some media outlets may have portrayed. Due to an ongoing investigation, we are limited in what we can share right now. However, we will provide a full update as soon as we’re able. Your messages of support mean the world to us, and we deeply appreciate your understanding during this time. We’re looking forward to continuing our adventures with you all very soon. Sincerely, The Loon Crew.”

Multiple Loon crewmembers have since spoken about the incident on social media, with some disagreeing with the statement on Patreon. Triton reached out to multiple crewmembers associated with Loon, but they did not wish to be named and had no comment on the incident at this time.

Chef Dean Harrison revealed that he resigned from Loon on his Instagram on Jan. 1, also replying “Yes” to a comment asking if his resignation had anything to do with the accident. Harrison told Triton he currently has no comment on the situation due to the ongoing investigation.

Triton has attempted to contact Loon’s captain, Paul Clarke, but is still awaiting a response. Triton reached out to the International Yacht Company (IYC), who has a charter listing of M/Y Loon, for comment, but IYC stated they were unable to comment or release a statement on the situation. Triton contacted Global Superyacht Marketing, who has managed different aspects of M/Y Loon’s marketing, but were told they have no comment on the situation.

Triton then reached out to Capt. Jake DesVergers, who currently serves as chief surveyor for the International Yacht Bureau (IYB) for his insight into how situations like these are handled. Although DesVergers, IYB, and its affiliated companies are not providing advice or assistance to anyone involved with Loon or the tender incident, IYB is recognized by 15 flag administrations and operates a 24/7 emergency response system for yacht-related emergencies such as fire, grounding, or collision. IYB also operates an Advisory Services team that is integrated with yacht management teams, acting as an extension of their resources to deliver support.

While Loon does not use IYB’s systems, DesVergers states that any commercial yacht exceeding 500 GT is required to be managed by an ISM-certified company.

“There is a certain degree of risk involved in many yachting activities,” DesVergers wrote. “Trying to prevent them is the primary goal, but properly responding on those rare occasions is essential.”

DesVergers’ knowledge of the situation is limited to what he has read through various media sources. In his experience with accidents, once the immediate needs of the guests and crew are addressed, notification is normally sent to the company’s Designated Person Ashore (DPA), who will then provide whatever assistance is needed or requested.

Triton also asked DesVergers about how he would advise the yacht and its crew to deal with the media after incidents similar to this.

“During any incident, it is best to limit public communication as much as possible. This does not mean avoiding a public statement altogether,” DesVergers wrote. “However, any statement must be strictly limited to confirmed facts and avoid speculation. When incidents involve personal injuries, property damage, or environmental pollution, larger issues of civil or criminal liability may also arise, making precise and measured communication even more critical.”

IYB staff also deal with crew-related issues, including crew resignations. When asked how he advises a situation where crewmembers resign from vessels in an incident like this, DesVergers wrote, “Crew resignations are a common occurrence on yachts and happen for a variety of reasons. In our experience, there are typically three sides to every story: the resigning crew’s perspective, the owner or captain’s perspective, and the truth. It’s important not to overanalyze a crew resignation unless further context necessitates deeper scrutiny.”

DesVergers anticipates that the next steps in the process of this incident include involving the yacht’s insurance, which will include various legal teams, investigators, and surveyors. From a flag-state perspective, it is expected that an internal investigation is conducted by the management company to identify any operational anomalies, according to DesVergers. The flag administration may initiate its own investigation into the accident as well, or potentially expand the scope to include a broader audit of the yacht’s ISM certification.

“Something appears to have gone wrong within their safety program, regardless of fault, if any. It is essential that this be identified, corrected, and followed by the implementation of preventative measures to avoid any future recurrence,” DesVergers wrote. “This approach should be followed by the entire yachting industry and is not specific to the management or operations of Loon.”

This is a developing story and Triton will update it as more information becomes available. If you have any tips or breaking news stories, reach out to [emailprotected].

Images by Le Journal de Saint-Barth.

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