About 40 people, 25 of them divers, cleared remains of the catamaran that burned and sank in Tiha bay near Stari Grad in July. The bay is not fully clean yet, more clean-ups are planned.
Checked: 4 October 2026, 13:17
Split-Dalmatia County reported on Saturday, 3 October 2026, that about 40 people had cleaned the seabed of Tiha bay near Stari Grad on Hvar. Of these, 25 were divers, and in a dive lasting several hours they brought up remains of the catamaran that burned and sank in the bay in July, together with other waste. The county called the action "Dubine Farosa", Depths of Pharos, after the Greek name of Stari Grad (Dalmacija Danas, Slobodna Dalmacija).
What happened in July
On 3 July 2026, at around 17:30, a catamaran anchored in the Srednja lokva cove of Tiha bay caught fire. Everyone on board got off in time and nobody was hurt. The volunteer fire brigade of Stari Grad could not save the boat, it burned out and sank; unofficially a battery had exploded, the exact cause was left to the investigation (HRT). Two weeks later morski.hr published footage of an oily film with pieces of burnt plastic in the bay, and residents accused the authorities of playing down the pollution (morski.hr).
Who took part
- Organisers: the county's department for tourism, maritime affairs and transport. Its head, Ana Glaurdić Mekinić, dived with the others, and Tomislav Vidić of the department led the organisation.
- Divers: staff of the county's nature agency More i krš, the diving clubs Giričić and Puntar, the underwater association Rostrum and the volunteer fire brigades of Kaštel Gomilica and Kaštel Sućurac.
- Support: boats of the fire brigades and of the company CIAN handled safety and lifted the waste, which CIAN took for proper disposal. The town of Kaštela, the local authorities and residents helped too.
Is the bay clean now?
Not completely. According to the county, part of the waste and wreckage is still on the seabed, and further clean-ups will be needed. Glaurdić Mekinić said the bay should stay what its name promises: tiha means quiet in Croatian, and it should be quiet and clean. No figure for the amount of waste removed has been published (Dalmatinski portal).
Visiting Stari Grad
Stari Grad is Hvar's car ferry port and the island's older, quieter town, with the Tvrdalj castle of the poet Petar Hektorović and the Stari Grad Plain, a UNESCO site. The car ferry from Split takes about 2 hours; from the ferry ramp the island bus reaches Hvar town in 25 minutes, and the walk into Stari Grad along the bay takes about 20 minutes. Out of season the Stari Grad ferry runs 3 or 4 times a day. What to see: our Hvar guide; ports and tickets: Split to Hvar by ferry.
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Frequently asked questions
- What happened in Tiha bay on Hvar?
- On 3 July 2026 a catamaran anchored in the bay near Stari Grad caught fire and sank; nobody was hurt. In a clean-up reported on 3 October 2026, about 40 people, 25 of them divers, removed remains of the wreck and other waste from the seabed.
- Is Tiha bay clean again?
- Not fully. Split-Dalmatia County says part of the waste is still on the seabed and more clean-ups will be needed.
- How do I get to Stari Grad?
- By car ferry from Split in about 2 hours. From the ferry ramp the island bus goes on to Hvar town in 25 minutes; the centre of Stari Grad is a 20-minute walk along the bay.
Official sources
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