The yacht that ran up onto the rocks at the eastern end of La Herradura Bay yesterday didn't last the night - this morning the hull and deck are destroyed.

The owner of the yacht, a Russian national living on the Punta de La Mona, together with friends, salvaged what they could from the beach, known as the Playa de La Rijana.

There had been hopes that it could be refloated and towed to the Marina del Este Saturday afternoon, as the gale had abated, but this had not been possible and with nightfall the wind and wave intensity crept up and between them battered the yacht to irredeemable destruction.

There had even been talk on Saturday of winching it up to the road using a mobile construction crane, come Monday…

The bow and mast will be recovered, eventually, and as much as possible of the wreckage scattered amongst the rocks removed.

Reporter Juan Manuel de Haro, resident of La Herradura, who has covered this area of the Costa Tropical for decades, remembers a similar shipwreck back in the 70s, more or less in front of Chambao de Joaquín.

On that occasion it was a larger, 2-masted boat. However, on that occasion, two powerful tugs from Motril Port were able to get it off the beach and back afloat. Juan Manuel, on his website, recounts how the owner had been a Doctor Rabassa, who was also the owner of Finca La Huerta, on Cerro Gordo.

(News: Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia – Photos: JM de Haro)