Croatian businessman Tomislav Horvatincic, suspected of causing a maritime accident when two Italian citizens were killed, has been detained in 24-hour police custody in Sibenik since Tuesday evening.
He was questioned by the police last night after his speedboat collided with a boat off the coastal town of Primosten earlier in the day. The man and the woman aboard the boat were found dead in the sea after the accident. Horvatincic is to be questioned on Thursday by a commission of inquiry set by the Croatian ministry of the sea and transport to investigate causes of that fatal accident.
A member of the commission, Boris Seljanovski who is the head of the local port authorities, said on Wednesday that the findings of a preliminary inquiry showed that Horvatincic was steering his yacht at 20 knots in a belt within 300 metres of the coast where the speed limit is five knots.
Businessman Horvatincic issued a statement yesterday confirming that his involvement in the accident.
Expressing his regret at the fatal accident and deep shock, Horvatincic said that the steering system in his vessel had failed which was why he could not steer the ship in the normal manner and could not avoid the approaching vessel.
He said that after he had realised that the steering system was not functioning, he tried to warn persons on the approaching vessel that he had no control over his ship, but this also did not help them to avoid the tragic accident.
The man from the boat sailing under the Italian flag was identified, and the identification of the dead woman is under way.
Croatian Sea and Transport Minister Bozidar Kalmeta on Wednesday extended condolences to Italian Ambassador to Zagreb, Alessandro Pignatti Morano Di Custoza and to the families of the deceased people.
