Prelude SiR Sank on Felicity Ace, Owner Left High & Dry
Prelude SiR was among the cars lost at sea with the Felicity Ace fire, and an error left this piece of Honda History without insurance.
It’s hard to believe it’s been almost three months since the cargo ship Felicity Ace caught fire at sea. However, the effects of its loss are still being felt. It’s well known that the ship was full of luxury and exotics like Porsche, Lamborghini, and Audi models. However, an extremely special Honda was among the cars lost during this unfortunate fire. It was a fifth-gen Prelude SiR.
According to The Drive, a man named Gary Hawkins, who is a devout Honda Prelude enthusiast, purchased this Prelude SiR in 2016. However, it was ineligible for U.S. import at the time. So, Hawkins stored the car in Germany until it met the 25-year import law. Unfortunately, fate decided that this SiR was not destined for U.S. soil. The German export company loaded the Prelude SiR onto the ill-fated Felicity Ace. After a fire broke out in the cargo hold, the ship burned for weeks before it was intended to be recovered. Even more unfortunate is that in early March, the ship capsized and sank into 3,000 feet of water. Sadly, that was just the beginning of Hawkins’ nightmare.
Due to a Paperwork Error, Hawkins’ Prelude Was Uninsured at the Time of the Accident
Hawkins did not even realize that his car was on the Felicity Ace until February 18th, when the shipping company called to give him the bad news. He held hopes that the car would be spared in the fire. However, all hope was lost as soon as the ship sank.
Due to some form of miscommunication, the shipper excluded the Prelude Sir from insurance. So, Hawkins seems to be left high and dry at the moment, with an $18,000 hole in his wallet and an extremely rare Honda Prelude sitting 3,000 feet under the ocean’s surface.
“As the ship was on fire, they recommended I reach out and find a company to insure it,” Hawkins told The Drive.
Obviously, that’s wishful thinking at best.
Unfortunately, due to the Prelude’s failure to pass inspection upon its purchase in 2016, it was ineligible for insurance in Europe. So, in the midst of the misunderstanding, Hawkins assumed that insurance was included in the shipping price, but it seems that is not the case.
Will Hawkins Ever Be Reimbursed for His Lost Dream Car?
The whole situation is a bit complicated. Obviously, it’s no easy task to get a lawyer to sue a German company from the U.S. for an incident that took place in international waters.
Hawkins says that he isn’t mad about the situation. Obviously, the company’s intention was not to sink the ship. That being said, we’d like to think that the ship’s insurance may cover Hawkins’ loss. Though, that seems a bit unclear at the moment.
Ultimately, Hawkins says that he would rather focus on trying to find another one. Though this is a tough lesson to learn, he’s going to move forward from it. It’s safe to assume he’ll be a bit more cautious when it comes to insurance.
“I am going to end up with my dreams and my goals,” he told The Drive.
We admire your positive thinking, Mr. Hawkins!
Photos: The Drive
