A catamaran in Riga hit a power line and caught fire

Twelve people were injured in a fire on the 9.8-metre sailing catamaran Zingarella.

Among the injured are seven children, four of whom are hospitalized and in serious but stable condition.

Catamaran Zingarella caught fire and sank on Sunday in the Hapaka Channel in Riga. The vessel hit a high-voltage power line with the mast.

Catamaran Zingarella was assigned to the yacht club Latvijas jahta. According to the yacht club council chairman Vladimir Kuleshov, the yacht was used for a private event with the captain and his family members. According to Kuleshov, who saw how the tragedy occurred, the captain

Zingarella's captain grossly violated the rules of navigation, the investigation found.

He ignored the warning signs that had been erected on the banks of the Hapaka Canal. The catamaran along with the mast is 14 metres long. The permitted height at the place where the catamaran was passing is 8 meters, which is indicated by the signs.

The power line, hit by the catamaran, fell down and went out, disconnecting the Riga Bolderaja area for several hours.