A 60-foot private yacht crashed into an aircraft carrier-turned-museum docked in San Diego, which led to $100,000 in damage and the arrest of the yacht’s captain, who the police charged with “boating under the influence” after surveillance cameras picked up the crash.
For background, on July 21, 2025, the Port of San Diego Harbor police issued a press release confirming the arrest of Frank D’Anna, a 40-year-old who had been caught on camera crashing his yacht into the USS Midway Museum, a docked aircraft carrier permanently situated at the San Diego downtown waterfront. Moreover, the police confirmed that after crashing into the carrier, D’Anna “fled the scene in his yacht.
In its press release, the Port of San Diego Harbor Police said that D’anna had been booked into county jail for “Harbor and Navigation Code Boating Under the Influence (BUI), along with “Hit and Run” and “Operating Vessel with BAC Over .08.” The press release also stated that police had responded “to a report of a collision involving a 65-foot motor vessel and the USS Midway Museum along the downtown waterfront.”
Continuing, the harbor police clarified that surveillance footage shows D’Anna’s vessel, which is named “Offshore Lifestyle,” as it collided “head-on with the port side hull of the USS Midway.” The police confirmed that after the collision, D’Anna “fled the scene and was later located near the Coronado Ferry Landing in San Diego Bay.”
Additionally, after the hit-and-run, the police caught up with the “Offshore Lifestyle” and “contacted all seven individuals onboard and identified the vessel’s operator.” Moreover, according to the police, “No injuries were reported by anyone onboard the Offshore Lifestyle or the Midway.”
Following the incident, Jahjit Bhambra, a Navy veteran who was visiting the museum, told ABC10, “I think we need to examine who was the captain of the little boat, why was he so close, how he did not notice such a massive ship in front of him.” Bhambra’s wife added, “It’s a famous ship. Maybe a fence around it or something like that, a barrier so the ship can be guarded, and a lookout, maybe for approaching hazards.”
Furthermore, downtown San Diego resident James Hickson called the crash “sad” while speaking to ABC10, adding, “If drunk driving is the case, it’s pretty sad that you would make that decision to put a lot of folks in danger.” In addition, the USS Midway Museum’s Marketing Director, David Koontz, told NBC7 that the crash had left a major dent in the Midway’s hull, leaving the “initial estimated damage” appearing to be $100,000.
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However, Koontz thankfully clarified that the carrier’s hull was not breached in the incident and that the museum was able to stay open following the incident. Moreover, local authorities clarified that the “Offshore Lifestyle” was impounded following the crash and that the incident is still under investigation.
Watch footage of the crash:
Featured image credit: video screengrab