Documenting Maritime Accidents of Recreational Vessels in the Republic of Croatia

Nautical tourism in the Republic of Croatia represents an important segment of Croatian tourism. Due to the natural conditions that Croatia possesses, it is recognized as one of the most desirable European and world destinations for boaters. The increase of nautical tourism activities in the Adriatic in recent years also increases the possibility of accidents at sea. In order to reduce the risk of accidents, analyses of available data on accidents from the National Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) were carried out. In the aforementioned database, recreational vessels were selected and analyzed. The compiled data refers to sailing vessels, yachts, small fishing vessels, boats, and inflatable boats regardless of their flag state. Based on the research conducted, suggestions were made to optimize the existing way of filling out reports in order to better manage statistical data, and potentially identify the causes of recreational vessel accidents.