Oops, we dropped it!!
by VenturaCountyStar.com and other sources on 21 Jan 2007
Motor Yacht and Crane both down and smashed SW
A US$3 million motor yacht was destroyed this week at Port Hueneme, Oxnard, California when the crane unloading it from a cargo ship fell over.
The yacht was 78 feet long and weighed about 34 tons, said Pete Wallace, the port's deputy executive director for maritime services. It was on its way from Europe to a private yacht company in Newport Beach, he said. 'It was — was — a beautiful boat,' Wallace added.
It isn’t any more; it’s a mess of broken fibreglass.
‘The 34-ton yacht was about 100 feet off the ground Tuesday when the crane unloading it became unbalanced and tipped over’, he said.
Witnesses at the scene said the 300-ton crane toppled when a gust of wind hit the boat and swung the crane, consequently toppling the job.
The witnesses said the crane operator crawled out from the cabin. He had suffered some severe leg injuries and an ambulance took him to hospital.
The accident occurred on Wharf 2 at the port. An engineering company was scheduled to test the docks to make sure that they're safe.
Wallace said. ‘'There is some damage to the docks, but I don't believe it will affect our operations.'
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