Tragedy Strikes During Ibiza Regatta: Dutch Sailors Lost After Collision
A social gathering of friends who love recreational sailing came to a sudden end after an accident involving a support boat in the Caló de s’Oli area near Formentera. Six Dutch nationals were aboard when the inflatable vessel known as Elvis collided with rocks during a morning in midweek. One sailor died, another suffered serious injuries, and the remaining four were admitted to Formentera Hospital before being discharged later that day.
A specialist company later towed Elvis from Es Caló de s’Oli to the port of Ibiza, highlighting the harsh realities of sea rescue operations in crowded sailing events. The incident occurred as the Ibiza Regatta, a private gathering organized by a circle of boat owners who meet annually in the Pitiusa archipelago, was winding down after four days of racing and social gatherings. The fleet had been anchored near the sound Illetes the night before and began their return as planned on Wednesday.
In the early hours of Thursday, around 15:45, six Dutch competitors decided to use Elvis for support and apparently struck the rocks while navigating near Punta Pedrera at the Caló de s’Oli. The boat suffered a violent impact, capsized, and was left stranded on the rocks. Rescuers found several crew members in the water. A victim who was ejected from the vessel struck his head and did not survive the impact.
Civil Guard judicial police began investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the collision. The exact cause remains unclear as the morning light offered limited visibility and the rocky shoreline loomed close to the area where the regatta participants had docked to the Illetes anchorage. The area is a marked waterway area near Ses Salines Natural Park and is heavily regulated for boating traffic.
Participants in the race were predominantly Dutch, with some French and Spanish crew members among them. The group had dined at a well-known restaurant in Ses Illetes the previous day and had chosen to anchor in the same vicinity before the tragic turn of events. The incident prompted a coordinated rescue effort, including fire services and emergency medical teams who performed life-saving maneuvers at the scene and during transport to hospital facilities.
One seriously injured sailor was evacuated via helicopter to Can Misses Hospital after the initial resuscitation attempt by SAMU 061, which lasted about 40 minutes before ceasing due to the patient’s condition. In addition, three other victims aged 24, 25, 39, and 41 were treated at Formentera Hospital and were discharged that same afternoon. The remaining crew members who survived assisted rescuers and among them provided support during the difficult moments following the crash. Traces of blood at the crash site underscored the severity of the injuries and the challenges faced by first responders.
At the time the accident occurred, Elvis was not part of the main regatta fleet and had been rented by the event organizers to support the race. Salvage efforts later resumed, with Elvis being towed toward Ibiza Harbor around noon the same day so the boat could be taken out of service and the area restored. The Can Misses Hospital received the most seriously injured individual, who underwent surgery later that day and remained under care for further treatment.
The fire department reported that they arrived at the scene around 4:15 and began rescue operations. The team helped stabilize the injured, supported evacuation efforts, and assisted other victims who could contribute to the incident response. In the wake of the tragedy, authorities noted that some crew members who were less severely injured helped others—an act of courage amid the chaos. Blood and debris remained visible along the rocky coastline the following day, a stark reminder of the day’s events.
As for the regatta, the participants had spent the prior afternoon dining at a popular Ses Illetes restaurant and even anchored near the Illetes sands before the accident occurred. The majority of the participants hailed from the Netherlands, with a smaller group representing France and Spain. A few hours after their meals, the fatal incident occurred, casting a shadow over the celebratory sailing event.
Experts and authorities have proposed several hypotheses. The operator who rented Elvis to the regatta organization described the crash area as poorly visible, with dark rocks protruding from the water. One possibility is that the crew misjudged their distance to the rocks and collided with them. The location is clearly marked on nautical charts and lies within the Ses Salines Natural Park buoy system; only one sailboat was moored that day, implying the fleet crossed the buoyed zones before the accident. The surviving crew members have provided mixed accounts of why the inflatable was used in that moment, with some suggesting it was for personal checks rather than part of the racing operation. The Civil Guard continues to gather testimonies as the investigation proceeds at court, seeking a complete understanding of what happened and why.
The ongoing investigation will focus on testimonies from all survivors and examine how rescue efforts were coordinated, with the aim of clarifying the sequence of events and ensuring accountability where appropriate. The tragedy underscores the inherent risks of high-sport gatherings at sea and the critical importance of clear safety protocols, rigorous supervision, and swift emergency response in crowded regatta settings. The incident is being treated with the seriousness it deserves, and authorities are reviewing procedures to prevent a recurrence in future events.