Motion for third-party intervention in Loon case granted

The courts have granted Loon videographer Austin Scaccianoce the right to join the negligence complaint filed against the superyacht's former captain, Paul Clarke, following an injurious tender crash in St Barths (24 December). 

Scaccianoce will now join original Plaintiffs Natalia Niznik and Klara Holubova in seeking relief from Clarke, with the original complaint pursuing damages in excess of $100,000, citing expense of hospitalisation, medical expenses, nursing care and treatment, loss of earnings, impairment of earning capacity and working ability, as well as "mental and psychological trauma".

Third crew member requests to join lawsuit against former Loon captain (26 June)

A third crew member has requested to join the negligence complaint filed against the former captain of Loon. According to the new filing, Austin Scaccianoce – Loon's videographer and co-worker of original Plaintiffs Natalia Niznik and Klara Holubova – was on board and "similarly injured" at the time of the crash.

Court documents obtained by BOAT International describe how the force of the collision resulted in Scaccianoce sustaining injuries to his hips, with further injuries to his legs and feet – including a fracture – caused by "rescu[ing]" Niznik, who had been thrown overboard.

The latest filing emphasised the importance of intervention – as, if the trial were to proceed without him, Scaccianoce would "lose his opportunity of recovery for his injuries". He entreated the Court to "allow him to intervene in this action", while also requesting any further relief it deemed "just and proper".