On the evening of the 19th May, the 38 metre MY Indigo Star was getting ready to leave Formentera to return to their home base of Puerto Portals.
At 21:30 they set course at 15 knots.
Just before leaving the skipper, Janusz Walinski, heard the fast ferry, "Almudaina" talking with the Ibiza town tugs.
Remembering the fast ferry incident that resulted in the actual collision with MY Auriga in September 2000 Walinski warned his crew to keep an eye out for the ferry that was scheduled to leave Ibiza for Mallorca later that night.
At midnight Walinski was called to the bridge by the mate who was on duty. The mate had been tracking a fast moving boat (32 knots) headed directly for them astern.
Walinski immediately changed course 50 degrees starboard and called up "The Almudaina" that had shot past them. They seemed oblivious of what Walinski described as "a near miss" incident.
As soon as Walinski mentioned that he felt that he had to denounce them the radio went dead.
Captain Walinski also has heard of at least four other recent incidents involving these ferries which he strongly feels either donīt have properly trained watchkeepers or are guilty of negligence.
Walinski has not denounced them but feels that with the great number of pleasure and fishing boats around Mallorca they are an accident waiting to happen and warns all to keep a vigilant look out- even astern!