Wealthy people’s enormous, ultra-luxurious superyachts are often targeted by environmental activists (among others) for causing harm to the maritime environment and polluting the air. But their specific capabilities also allow them to do good, at least occasionally.
Undoubtedly one of the most spectacular superyachts still on the market at the end of this year is the awe-inspiring Victorious.
There’s nothing simple or conventional about this mammoth vessel, from the story of how it came to be, to its flamboyant owner. Not just an outrageously lavish pleasure craft that is asking for a whopping $116.8 million, the aptly-named Victorious is also an inspiring example of true autonomy at sea.
We’ve talked about this unique watercraft before, but an event that could have been tragic brought it into the spotlight recently. It seems that the 278-footer (87 meters) became a real hero, after putting its rescue skills to the test. While en route to the Caribbean, an unexpected turn of events caused Victorious to temporarily change its plans, in order to respond to a distress call in the North Atlantic.
According to a social media announcement made by Captain Luca Mosca, the crew onboard Victorious participated in a search-and-rescue mission that luckily had a happy ending. A small catamaran of only 15 meters (49 feet) had capsized at approximately 500 miles (805 km) from shore.
All the five passengers who had escaped on a life-raft were rescued by Victorious. It might sound simple, but it was actually a 16-hour SAR operation, led by Captain Petar Milkov and Chief Officer Emily Grassby.
Some of the cat’s passengers had suffered injuries so, after receiving first aid onboard the superyachts, they were taken to Saint Martin, for medical care.
It was a proud moment for the vessel’s crew, and one that they’ll always remember, for sure. Although it’s not unusual for yachts to respond in cases like this, when they’re in the area of the incident, Victorious seemed to be made for that.
The yacht’s owner, the ever-surprising Vural Ak, a GT3 racer and owner of the Intercity Istanbul Park circuit in Turkey, revealed earlier this year that one of the cabins was turned into a hospital room. It was because of the pandemic, it seems, but turns out to be of great help in emergencies such as this.
A rugged explorer showing off its helicopter and heavy-duty “toys,” this pleasure craft was designed to be almost self-sufficient during extremely long journeys. Powered by twin 1,475 HP Caterpillar diesel engines, it can cover more than 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 km) at 10 knots (11.5 mph/18.5 kph). Huge food storage facilities and freezers allow it to stay six months at sea, even with large groups on board.
