Viva crashes into Fort Lauderdale bridge

Image Credit: Brant Reid

Viva raised eyebrows on Wednesday 10 September when it became lodged against the 17th Street Bridge in Fort Lauderdale. The 94-metre Feadship, delivered in 2021, was navigating the waterways when it wedged itself precariously close to the bridge, leaving onlookers both shocked and amused. Fortunately, the incident did not result in major damage to either the yacht or the bridge.

Among those witnessing the incident was Brant Reid, captain of Luxuria Vida, who offered some valuable insights to SuperyachtNews. “It happened early in the morning by the Hilton Hotel,” Reid recalls.

“I’m relatively new to this, so seeing a yacht of that size pull off that kind of manoeuvre, I wanted to stay and see how the pros do it. Needless to say, I was taught a lesson in what not to do.”

Reid admitted he wasn’t entirely sure what went wrong. “Maybe it was mechanical? It might have been due to the tide or the current, perhaps? But I can’t be sure exactly. From my perspective, it looked more like it was down to the current.”

Image Credit: Brant Reid

As the situation unfolded, Reid closely observed the captain’s actions. “As the yacht began to turn, I did wonder what the captain was actually trying to do because it was easy to see it was going to run into some issues,” he explained. As Viva edged closer to the bridge, Reid noticed the crew scrambling to mitigate the impending impact.

“The crew began frantically getting the fenders out, but it ended up colliding with the bridge, and it must have done some substantial damage, cosmetically at least, as there was a very loud screech as it connected,” continues Reid.

“The yacht was moving back and forth, with little to no movement in getting ot out of the situation. At one point, the captain came out, looked over the starboard side, then shook his head and returned to the bridge. It must’ve taken him a while to get out of there, as it looked pretty stuck.”

Image credit: Brant Reid

Despite the crew’s efforts, Viva remained lodged for some time before eventually freeing itself and continuing on its journey, reportedly docking at the Port of Savannah shortly after. While the incident caused a minor delay, it appeared the damage was more cosmetic than structural.

While Viva had long been known for its advanced design and cutting-edge features, this incident served as a reminder that even the most experienced captains and sophisticated yachts can run into challenges.

Meanwhile, rumours are that Frank Fertitta, who played a major role in transforming the UFC into a global powerhouse before selling it in 2016, may have sold Viva to billionaire Ken Griffin, though no official confirmation has been made. Griffin, the CEO of Citadel and one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, is known for his interest in luxury assets, including a record-breaking $238 million penthouse in New York City.

Video credit: Brant Reid

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