UPDATE: San Clemente man named as victim of superyacht ‘Atessa IV’ collision

The Department of Medical Examiner in San Diego County have named the victim of a collision between a fishing vessel and superyacht Attessa IV.

Richard Neff, 66, of San Clemente, US, was travelling with a group of seventeen people for an overnight fishing trip nine miles off the coast of southern California when the boats ran into each other.

Officials confirmed the cause of death as an accident, reporting that: “The decedent fell some distance and struck his head, and passengers on the boat called 911. The decedent was airlifted to UCSD Medical Center where despite aggressive resuscitative efforts the decedent could not be revived and his death was pronounced shortly after arrival.”

Superyacht Attessa IV, owned by US billionaire Dennis Washington, collided with a 20-metre fishing vessel on Friday 26th October resulting in the death of a man and injuries to two others.

Crew from the 101-metre Attessa IV contacted Coast Guard Sector San Diego’s Joint Harbour Operations Centre to raise the alarm and a rescue helicopter and two boats were sent to the emergency.

The badly injured man was taken by helicopter to UC San Diego Medical Centre-Hillcrest in a critical condition, but on Sunday the Coast Guard confirmed that he had died.

The remaining fishing-boat passengers were taken back to shore by the Coast Guard and the crew of Atessa IV

The Prowler fishing vessel sustained extensive damage to its starboard quarter, however events leading up to the crash are still unknown. Reports from one eyewitness suggest that there was no pre-warning of the collision.

It has not been confirmed whether Dennis Washington was on Attessa IV when the boats collided.

The next of kin have been notified.

The Coast Guard is continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash.