SW-INC-0125SeaWise Incidents

Boca de Yuma 1 - Excursion catamaran sank off the Dominican Republic; about 55 aboard pulled from the sea

A ~40 ft catamaran carrying cruise-ship passengers on a sunset trip flooded and sank quickly near Samana Bay; the Dominican Navy and local residents rescued everyone without injuries.

verified · 1 sourceN
Vessel
Boca de Yuma 140 ft · Excursion catamaran
When
2025Caribbean
Crew
55 aboardAll survived
Outcome
Rescued
Position
Near Samaná Bay, Dominican Republic (Caribbean)
Sea area
Samaná · Dominican Republic
Coordinates
19.20°N, -69.33°WApproximate position
Summary

What happened.

On a Sunday evening in November 2025, the excursion catamaran Boca de Yuma 1 — a roughly 40-foot boat carrying about 55 cruise-ship tourists on a sunset trip — flooded after a sudden leak and sank quickly near Samaná Bay, in the Dominican Republic. Everyone aboard ended up in the water but was pulled to safety by the Dominican Navy and local residents, with no injuries reported. The cause is under investigation.

On a Sunday evening in November 2025, about 55 people set out aboard the catamaran Boca de Yuma 1, a roughly 40-foot excursion boat, for a sunset trip off the Dominican Republic. The passengers were tourists from the cruise ship Mein Schiff 1. A sudden leak developed and the catamaran sank rapidly near the bay of Samaná, leaving the passengers floating in the sea and waiting for help. The Dominican Navy responded quickly and, with local residents from the community of El Crucero who came out to help, pulled everyone from the water. Remarkably, all were rescued without injuries. Authorities had not confirmed a cause, and an investigation was opened into the leak and into the safety practices of the tour operator.

ConditionsA Sunday-evening sunset excursion (reported 'Sunday, November 9' — taken as 9 Nov 2025; verify). About 55 people aboard, tourists from the cruise ship Mein Schiff 1. A sudden leak caused the ~40 ft catamaran to sink rapidly near Samaná Bay; passengers ended up in the water. The Dominican Navy and residents of El Crucero pulled everyone to safety with no injuries. Cause of the leak and the operator's safety practices were under investigation.
SeaWise noteA small boat that floods can go down faster than help arrives, and an excursion crowd of dozens is a thin margin if it does. The saving grace here was a fast navy response and a shore full of willing hands. As a passenger you rarely pick the boat, but you can clock the lifejackets and the exits before you leave the dock — the thirty seconds that buys can be the whole story.
Lessons learned

What it teaches.

  • 1
    Flooding can sink a small boat in minutes — know your lifejackets and exits first. About 55 people went into the sea when this catamaran flooded and sank quickly. Whether crew or excursion passenger, locate the lifejackets and the way out before you leave the dock; there is rarely time to look once water is coming in.
    flooding abandon ship
  • 2
    Find the leak fast, and don't trust calm conditions. The catamaran sank rapidly after a sudden leak on a fine sunset trip. Keep bilges and through-hulls checked, carry working pumps and bungs, and treat any unexplained water aboard as an emergency to trace immediately, not a nuisance to mop up.
    flooding prep to sail
  • 3
    Crowded excursion boats need a real plan for everyone in the water. All aboard survived because the navy and shore residents reached them quickly. Operators should match lifejackets and capacity to passenger numbers and brief them; passengers should count the lifejackets against the heads aboard before casting off.
    abandon ship rescue
Sources

Where this comes from.

News· EU/Med sailing newsCatamarano affonda ai Caraibi, 55 turisti in mare – VIDEOVisit ↗

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Record IDSW-INC-0125
Curated bySeaWise editorial
Confidenceverified · 1 source
Record typeIncident

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