Photo: Sydney Harbour Exclusive
Enjoying an extended vacation on board a luxury charter yacht in the gorgeous Tahiti would be like a dream come true for most people. But, sadly, tragedies can strike even in these conditions, when it seems that nothing could go wrong. Neil Balnaves, an Australian media billionaire, passed away unexpectedly because of a boating accident, while on vacation with his wife.
The Balnaves Foundation confirmed on Tuesday that Neil Balnaves passed away, aged 77. He was mostly known for having brought to Australia highly-successful TV shows such as Big Brother and Bananas in Pyjamas. Interestingly enough, after being the victim of a serious boating accident in 2002, the media mogul focused on philanthropy, donating $20 million to various organizations, The Guardian reports.
Unfortunately, he would not survive this second boating accident, which took place at the beginning of this week, in Tahiti. According to media sources, Balnaves and his wife were vacationing on board the Oneworld luxury charter yacht, near the Polynesian island. At the time of the accident, he was on board a tender (a smaller vessel that’s available on most yachts). The exact cause of the accident is still unclear, some sources saying that it was “a freak wave.”
The Oneworld is fresh on the luxury charter market, having been launched in 2018. The 103-footer (31 meters) built by Majesty Yachts was designed to be versatile enough for lavish family vacations or formal corporate events. According to Sydney Harbour, the vessel’s most impressive feature is the expansive rear flybridge, welcoming guests with its luxurious sofas and daybeds, as well as an Aquavia five-person jacuzzi.
Up to 12 guests can be accommodated in the yacht’s five opulent cabins, each featuring an en-suite bathroom and premium entertainment systems. But there is also enough space on the Oneworld’s generous decks for huge parties of up to 100 guests.
Like all luxury charter yachts, the Oneworld boasts a variety of water toys, but it’s unknown whether Balnaves suffered the accident while riding the yacht’s own tender, a 16-foot (4.9 meters) boat.
The TV mogul had changed his life after the previous boating accident, focusing more on philanthropy and spending time with his family, but it turns out that boating would be fatal for him anyway – not even luxury can avoid tragedy.
Unfortunately, he would not survive this second boating accident, which took place at the beginning of this week, in Tahiti. According to media sources, Balnaves and his wife were vacationing on board the Oneworld luxury charter yacht, near the Polynesian island. At the time of the accident, he was on board a tender (a smaller vessel that’s available on most yachts). The exact cause of the accident is still unclear, some sources saying that it was “a freak wave.”
The Oneworld is fresh on the luxury charter market, having been launched in 2018. The 103-footer (31 meters) built by Majesty Yachts was designed to be versatile enough for lavish family vacations or formal corporate events. According to Sydney Harbour, the vessel’s most impressive feature is the expansive rear flybridge, welcoming guests with its luxurious sofas and daybeds, as well as an Aquavia five-person jacuzzi.
Up to 12 guests can be accommodated in the yacht’s five opulent cabins, each featuring an en-suite bathroom and premium entertainment systems. But there is also enough space on the Oneworld’s generous decks for huge parties of up to 100 guests.
Like all luxury charter yachts, the Oneworld boasts a variety of water toys, but it’s unknown whether Balnaves suffered the accident while riding the yacht’s own tender, a 16-foot (4.9 meters) boat.
The TV mogul had changed his life after the previous boating accident, focusing more on philanthropy and spending time with his family, but it turns out that boating would be fatal for him anyway – not even luxury can avoid tragedy.
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