The adventures of the sailing ship Helisara are about to come to a definitive end. The legendary boat, once owned by Herbert von Karajan, the renowned Austrian conductor (born in Salzburg in 1908 and died in 1989), is now on the verge of passing into history. Its final journey has ended at the bottom of the sea in Formentera.
The Helisara ran aground on a rocky slab in the area of Cavall d’en Borràs, within the Ses Salines Natural Park of Formentera, during the powerful DANA that struck the Pityusic Islands on 14 August 2024. The strong winds pushed other boats onto this protected coastline, leaving behind a trail of destruction rarely seen on the islands.
The sailboat had remained beached on its starboard side, with its stern facing the iconic restaurant Es Molí de Sal, until another storm on 6 November completely destroyed it, breaking the hull apart and scattering its remains over dozens of metres —both along the shore (much of which has already been cleared) and in the sea.
To recover the debris at sea, a team of professionals from Servisub, contracted by the Consell de Formentera, is working with specialised divers. Remains lie just over one metre deep, all completely destroyed, including parts of the hull and the engine. The team has three days of intensive work ahead, as bad weather is approaching and the larger pieces must be removed as soon as possible.
Then, in January, work will continue to clean the seabed of this privileged and protected area of Formentera, located within the Ses Salines Natural Park.