Stranded Mallorca yacht sparks €300,000 salvage standoff as co-owner offers share for €1
Acoa. Image courtesy of Yacht Charter Fleet
It was built to survive Antarctica. It had circled the globe eight times. But when Storm Harry slammed into Mallorca’s east coast, the 28-metre luxury yacht Acoa became just another vessel at the mercy of the sea. Now, weeks after running aground at Sa Marjal beach, one co-owner is trying to walk away from the wreckage – by selling his share for just €1.
Acoa remains grounded near Son Servera amid ownership disputes and environmental concerns with local authorities urging swift resolution
The night Storm Harry tore Acoa from its anchor
Acoa ran aground on Sa Marjal beach during Storm Harry. According to local press, the yacht’s skipper, Klaus Fietzeck tried in vain to keep the vessel under control. Seemingly, in strong winds and heavy seas, the yacht lost an anchor. Fietzeck was thrown overboard in the storm’s fury. Reaching shore suffering from hypothermia and injuries, the yacht was drifted before ending up beached.
Skipper’s fight for survival
Fietzeck had thought it was all over for him. He was 68 years old, alone, without a life jacket, in the middle of a storm and his yacht, built for Antarctica, was helpless in the conditions. “It was horrific ,” he told Mallorca Magazin days later. “I thought I’d never get out.
“I’ve never experienced anything like it. Not even remotely.”
From Antarctic explorer to stranded landmark
Fietzeck was the only person on board the 28-metre, aluminum hull, 22 millimeters thick Acoa. The boat has completed eight circumnavigations, Fietzeck told media, including a voyage to Antarctica. “If you want to make a comparison, it’s the Bentley of sailing yachts.”
Prior to the storm, Mallorca Magazin reports Fietzeck had resorted to mooring in secluded bays after broken promises from the two other co-owners, exorbitant mooring fees, and failed antifouling plans. “€3,000 to €3,500 in mooring fees per month. That’s impossible,” he’s quoted as saying. On top of that, Fietzeck feared security wasn’t tight enough at some marinas.
A €300,000 question: who pays to refloat Acoa?
Potential environmental risks are being assessed as it’s not clear whom is responsible for what.
Ownership is apparently shared among several partners – believed to be German.
A salvage company has estimated it will be over €300,000 to tow the vessel to Port d’Alcúdia (two tugboats, waste disposal work, and a 100-metre-long oil boom). Reportedly, there are about 500 litres of diesel on board.
Fietzeck told Mallorca Magazin: “I don’t want to keep this and I’m selling my share for one euro.” No single individual has stepped forward to take financial responsibility for refloating or dismantling the vessel. One co-owner reportedly gave a vague response when asked about his role, describing himself as “co-owner… partner… in some way,” reports EuroWeekly News.
Environmental authorities in Mallorca are emphasising the urgency of preventing ecological damage to the coastline.
For now, Acoa squats on the sand, an accidental tourist attraction. The tale of survival has evolved into a financial and environmental standoff – one that raises questions about responsibility, shared ownership and the true costs of sailing when the unthinkable happens.
Image courtesy of Yacht Charter Fleet.
