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Fortune
Fortune
Orianna Rosa Royle

A huge ship once owned by Microsoft’s co-founder has tipped over

(Credit: Jeff J Mitchell—Getty Images)

A massive ship once owned by the estate of the late billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has toppled over at a dockyard in Scotland, leaving at least 35 injured. 

High winds caused the 250-foot U.S. Navy research vessel, RV Petrel, to become dislodged from its holding on a dry dock. 

A major incident was declared and emergency crews were swiftly called to the Imperial Dock in Leith, Edinburgh.

Scotland’s local TV station, STV, reported there were around 50 refurbishment workers on board, as well as a number of U.S. citizens. The U.S. Consulate in Edinburgh said it was monitoring the situation and offering support.

LEITH, SCOTLAND - MARCH 22: Emergency teams attend the scene after a ship tipped over at a 45-degree angle in the Imperial Dock area in Leith on March 22, 2023 at Imperial Dock in Leith, Scotland. Police said the research vessel The Petrel began to tilt to one side earlier this morning, after it became dislodged on a dry dock. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

At least, 12 ambulances, an air ambulance, three trauma teams, and a fire service attended the scene with 21 patients rushed to hospital, according to the Telegraph.

Harrowing photos from the scene show the 3,000-ton ship leaning at a 45-degree angle.

A local politician Adam McVey described the incident as “terrifying” on Twitter. “My thoughts are with those who’ve been injured & hope everyone recovers quickly,” he added.

The ship’s previous owner, Paul Allen, converted it into a deep submergence research vessel in 2017—just a year before he passed away at the age of 65.

The billionaire died of septic shock, a known complication of his non-Hodgkins lymphoma cancer diagnosis. 

With a net worth of $20.3 billion, he ranked as the 44th-wealthiest person in the world at the time of his death, and the RV Petrel wasn’t the only ship he acquired in his lifetime. 

His yacht “Tatoosh” was sold from his estate last November. The lavish 303-footer with five decks was listed for $90 million and sold in-house for an undisclosed sum.

Hong Kong, CHINA: The world's largest yacht owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is anchored off Kennedy town in Hong Kong, 05 May 2007. The 126.18 meters Octopus features amongst other two helicopters on the top deck, and a sixty-three foot tender docked in the transom (one of seven aboard) as well as an eight-person submarine, and is built in Germany at a cost of 200 million USD, according to www.yachtcrew-cv.com. AFP PHOTO/Ted ALJIBE (Photo credit should read TED ALJIBE/AFP via Getty Images)

His second superyacht, called “Octopus”, is one of the largest ships in the world at 414 feet. It was sold at around the same time as Tatoosh to the Swedish pharmaceuticals billionaire Roger Samuelsson after originally being listed for $325 million.

Allen's sister Jody Allen, who was executor of his estate, sold the yachts as per her late brother's instruction, according to The Street. 

The RV Petrel was also sold in 2022 for a reported sum of $12.4 million to the U.S. Navy.

The ship, which has previously been used for deep-water searches and made global headlines for discovering the long-lost USS Indianapolis in 2017, was put into long-term moorage in 2020 due to “operation challenges” during the pandemic.

This handout photograph photo obtained March 5, 2018 courtesy of Paul G. Allen shows wreckage from the USS Lexington, a US aircraft carrier which sank during World War II, that has been found in the Coral Sea, a search team led by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen announced March 5, 2018. The wreckage was found March 4, 2018 by the team's research vessel, the R/V Petrel, some 3,000 meters (two miles) below the surface more than 500 miles (800 kilometers) off the eastern coast of Australia. Remarkably preserved aircraft could be seen on the seabed bearing the five-pointed star insignia of the US Army Air Forces on their wings and fuselage. / AFP PHOTO / Douglas CURRAN / == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE / MANDATORY CREDIT: "AFP PHOTO / HO / COURTESY OF PAUL G. ALLEN" / NO MARKETING / NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS / DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS == (Photo credit should read DOUGLAS CURRAN/AFP via Getty Images)

It was one of the few ships worldwide equipped to explore 19,685 ft (6,000 m) below the ocean’s surface, and featured a remotely-operated vehicle for use once targets were identified and a multibeam echo-sounder.

It found the World War II-era USS Indianapolis in the Philippine Sea. It is thought that more than 850 crew members died when it sank in 1945, marking the largest loss of life at sea in the history of the U.S. Navy.

"To be able to honor the brave men of the USS Indianapolis and their families through the discovery of a ship that played such a significant role during World War II is truly humbling," Allen said in a statement at the time. 

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