Richard Hammond Mourns Late Friend Whose Luxury Yacht Crashed Into the Rocks in Sardinia

British-German millionaire Dean Kronsbein, the owner of Heredfordshire-based mask supplier Ultrafilter Medical, was on vacation with family and friends, on board a luxury yacht presumed to be his. That yacht is described by the Italian media as a Sanlorenzo Magnum-type of a yacht measuring 27 meters (88 feet), but aside from the fact that it was named Amore (“love” in Italian), not many details about it are public as of the time of press.

The accident occurred on Sunday night, at Il Nibani, near Porto Cervo, off the coast of Sardinia. Kronsbein, his wife, his daughter and four other people were on the deck, as Amore crashed into a rock wall; police believe the severity of the crash indicates the vessel was traveling at high speed.

Kronsbein was thrown off the deck into the water, where he went into cardiac arrest; he was recovered still alive but passed away shortly after. His wife and daughter suffered serious injuries and have been transported to specialized units in the UK, while the other guests received only minor injuries.

It is believed that Amore was traveling side by side with another vessel, Sweet Dragon. At one point, the captain of Amore swerved, presumably to prevent collision with Sweet Dragon. That evasive action sent Amore full-speed into the rocks, with the force of the impact so strong that the bow of the vessel was completely destroyed. The captain and crew of Sweet Dragon were the first responders to the scene.

Reports in the Italian media note that the captains of both ships have been included on the list of suspects and are being questioned by the police. Amore partially sunk after the accident, but has since been recovered and towed into Porto Cervo, where investigators will try to determine the circumstances of the accident.

The Kronsbein family has issued a statement to confirm the passing of the 61-year-old businessman. Richard Hammond is also expressing his regrets, in a statement to British publication The Daily Mail. The two were very close friends, it would seem, drawn together by a mutual love of classic cars, of which Kronsbein owned several.

“I'm genuinely shocked at this heartbreaking news,” Mr. Hammond says. “He really was a larger than life character and I know people often say that but he really was and the world needs more people like him. He was big hearted, fun character who wanted people to enjoy themselves when they were with him and he was also an astute businessman.”