Super Yacht Australia Aground in Singapore

A 56 meter Benetti super yacht titled m/y Australia and registered under Malta flag hit a reef off the Buran Channel, just one nautical mile of Sentosa Resort, Singapore on 16:25 of Monday sixteen October.  Australia was just exiting the Sentosa resort and at about one nautical mile from the harbour entrance she was seen listing to its port side.  Some unconfirmed reports said the yacht had a pilot onboard, and other news said it developed a mechanical damage and deviating from its course outside the channel leading it to go into the shallower area and ultimately run partly aground.  Singapore Maritime and Port Authority advised that there was no disruption to port channel traffic, no pollution happened in the grounding, and no injuries are being reported.  Six hours after the grounding Australia was re-floated and resting at anchor to East of Sentosa assessing its damage, with a tug boat nearby ready for assistance.  Some reports are saying that Australia had a hull breach during the grounding and will be dry-docked for repairs.

Since 2021 m/y Australia is owned by down under billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer, who purchased the 56 meter Benetti in December 2020, at the time asking a price of just under thirty million US dollars.

Motor Yacht Australia, previously named Bash and launched as Ulysses is a Benetti 56M series launched in 2012. Designed by Stefano Natucci the Benetti 56M was a semi-custom series delivered in four build to order units from 2005 to 12, with Australia being the last of these builds. This 56M offered a six suites interior with thirteen crew accommodation, and is powered by twin 1850hp Cat engines for top speeds up to sixteen knots.  The 56M was a following of Benetti's successful Golden Age 50M steel build semi custom series which debuted in 1997 and sold in seven units up to 2008.