This is the shocking moment a luxury tourist yacht is accidentally blown to smithereens by bungling workmen, killing one passenger and sending debris flying into the sea.
The incident took place in the port town of Necocli in the northern Colombian department of Antioquia while the vessel was undergoing maintenance work, according to port official Juan Pablo Suarez.
Video Credit: CEN
In the footage, a young man is seen sitting on the deck of the docked yacht before the blast erupts from under his feet and appears to send him flying into the sea.
Following a preliminary investigation, three workers had been hired by the tourist company that owns the yacht to carry out soldering work.
It is believed that one of the workers was soldering close to the fuel tank and inadvertently ignited it, causing the huge explosion.
According to reports, onlookers rushed to help the men, who had all ended up in the water.
One worker died in the blast while two others were injured and taken to hospital.
The deceased worker has been identified as 48-year-old Aroncne Meza Torrecilla.
According to the port authority, the vessel did not have the necessary permission to carry out maintenance work at the quay.
Suarez said: “The work did not follow our security protocols as it should not have taken place at a tourist port.”
The yacht was used for tourist trips between Necocli and Acandi and was able to carry 100 people on board.
The investigation is ongoing.
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Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
