Atlantic crossings involve long days and nights where vessels may encounter few other cruisers. The crew of the yacht Victorious had quite the encounter while en route to the Caribbean last month. They rescued five sailors whose catamaran had capsized.
Several days before Christmas, Capt. Petar Milkov of the 279-footer (85-meter) yacht and the crew were in the North Atlantic when they heard a pan-pan call over the VHF. (While mayday calls are for life-threatening situations, pan-pan calls are for other emergencies. Examples are a boat breaking down, and becoming lost in fog.) Five people had been aboard a 49-foot (15-meter) catamaran when it capsized far from shore, injuring some of them, too. Milkov instructed the crew to begin search-and-rescue operations.
It was already evening, but the darkness did nothing to dissuade the efforts. Sixteen hours later and 500 miles from land, Victorious came upon the sailors in distress. The superyacht’s crew was able to get all of them onboard safely. They further assessed and treated the survivors for head injuries and broken ribs.
Since the yacht Victorious was en route to Saint Martin, she continued on her journey, helping transport the sailors to obtain full medical care. She arrived at the island on December 15, and the sailors departed with the assistance of the local sea-rescue authorities.

Emily Grassby, Victorious’ chief officer, shared her pride in her fellow crew and in the successful resolution on social media. “Everyone did their duty,” she writes. “This will have a lifelong positive impact on me and puts into perspective what’s important.”
She adds, “By far the task in my career which has brought me the most fulfillment, and in all honesty, we did our duty, nothing special. I like to think all mariners would do the same.”
The yacht Victorious, whose technical systems are a marvel, premiered at September’s Monaco Yacht Show. Delivery occurred in 2021, from a Turkish shipyard acquired purposely to finish her. Her owner, Vural Ak, had purchased her partially complete, at 253 feet (77 meters) LOA. Notably, she had started construction more than a decade ago in Chile. When it ceased, another yacht owner, the well-known Graeme Hart, had her transported to his native New Zealand for finishing. However, he sold her in 2016, to Ak. Ak, in turn, sought a shipyard willing to do what he wanted, including lengthening her. When that failed, he purchased a facility in Turkey to do the job.
With the ability to cross oceans even at 15 knots—a speed at which her range is an astounding 7,000 nautical miles—the yacht Victorious has ambitious cruising plans. Ak wishes to cross the Northwest Passage, among other things.
More About the Yacht Victorious
LOA: 279’1” (85.1 meters)
Beam: 46’6” (14.2 meters)
Draft: 14’4” (4.4 meters)
Guests: 24 in 12 staterooms
Engines: 2/1,475-hp Caterpillars
Range: 10,000 nautical miles at 10 knots
Builder: Akyacht
Stylist: Michael Leach Design
Naval Architect: builder
Interior Designer: H2 Yacht Design
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