Published: Monday August 31, 2009 MYT 5:26:00 PM
By CLARA CHOOI
LUMUT: An 18-member crew of foreigners aboard a sinking China-bound merchant ship were finally rescued after being stranded for over five hours in the open waters off Pulau Perak here.
The ship, Hodasco 15, started to sink about 10 nautical miles west of the island from 10pm on Sunday after registering a severe leak in its engines.
Maritime 3 district logistics director Lt-Kdr Nurul Hizam Zakaria said Monday that the 6,045-tonne Hodasco 15, which was registered in Mongolia, was carrying iron ore from Calcutta, India, and was en route to China.
"They were stranded for five hours aboard their sinking ship before another vessel happened to pass them by," he told reporters at the Malaysia Fisheries Development Board jetty in Kampung Acheh Monday.
Lt-Kdr Nurul Hizam said the second ship, MV Boron, which was on its journey to Syria from India, successfully rescued all 18 crew members aboard the Hodasco 15 before the entire ship sank.
The crew members, comprising three Myanmar nationals and 15 Vietnamese, including the ship's captain Le Hoang Quan, were then brought to Pangkor Island.
"Upon reaching Pangkor Island, MV Boron sent out distress signals to the Malaysia Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) in Putrajaya," he said.
The MRCC later dispatched a team of nine maritime officers and three boats from the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency to Pangkor Island Monday to bring the crew members back to the Kampung Acheh jetty.
"We will help them contact their respective embassies in Kuala Lumpur so that arrangements can be made for their return home," he said, adding that none of the crew members were hurt in the incident.
Copyright © 1995-2009 Star Publications (M) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Empty oil tanker sinks near Suez canal - sources
28 Aug 2009 14:04:19 GMT
Source: Reuters
SUEZ, Egypt, Aug 28 (Reuters) - An empty Panamanian oil tanker sank near the southern entrance of Egypt's Suez canal on Friday as it headed to dry docks for maintenance, maritime sources said.
The sources added that the sinking ship, which they identified as the "Elli", had not disrupted normal shipping through the busy trade route. (Reporting by Yusri Mohamed; Writing by Alastair Sharp; editing by Sue Thomas)
Source: Reuters
SUEZ, Egypt, Aug 28 (Reuters) - An empty Panamanian oil tanker sank near the southern entrance of Egypt's Suez canal on Friday as it headed to dry docks for maintenance, maritime sources said.
The sources added that the sinking ship, which they identified as the "Elli", had not disrupted normal shipping through the busy trade route. (Reporting by Yusri Mohamed; Writing by Alastair Sharp; editing by Sue Thomas)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Coast Guard releases final report for Lady D accident investigation
Date: Aug. 25, 2009
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard released Monday the final report of investigation into the March 2004 capsizing of the passenger vessel Lady D in the northwest harbor of the Patapsco River, Baltimore.
Five passengers aboard the Lady D died in the accident.
The report states the accident was initiated by the master's unsafe decision to depart the dock at Fort McHenry in the face of an approaching visible squall line. The report also states that the Lady D, a small pontoon water taxi, capsized when the cumulative effect of many factors created an overturning motion from which the vessel could not recover.
Some of the recommendations in the report include:
Conducting an assessment of the stability of the pontoon passenger vessel fleet to identify vessels that may have an elevated risk of capsizing due to improperly conducted stability tests.
Clarifying guidance in Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 178 conditions under which a vessel’s stability characteristics can be determined based on the known stability characteristics of another vessel.
Providing guidance for the use of enclosed canopies on all lightweight pontoon passenger vessels to allow passengers to egress quickly in the event of capsizing.
The Coast Guard has taken a series of actions to identify, assess and address areas of concern regarding the safe operation of small passenger vessels and pontoon vessel stability. These include direction to Coast Guard inspectors to investigate vessels nationwide that may be at elevated risk of capsizing, a review of stability standards and testing procedures, initiation of a comprehensive regulatory update, and publication of voluntary guidance as an interim measure.
Some of the items addressed in the proposed regulatory changes include:
The average weight per person used in calculations for existing and new vessels would be updated based on the latest weight data reported by the CDC. The average weight would then be automatically updated 60 days after the CDC reports new data for the U.S. population (normally published every 4 years).
At each annual inspection, the owner or operator of a vessel would need to confirm the stability information is still appropriate for the vessel’s intended use.
At each annual inspection, the owner or operator would be required to show marine inspectors how the master determines that the vessel complies with stability requirements.
The stability of each passenger vessel would be verified by deadweight survey at least once every 10 years using the updated average weight per person.
Pontoon stability tests would be updated to reflect the latest improvements from the pontoon passenger vessel initiatives that were conducted in 2008.
A new passenger movement criteria would be implemented for pontoon passenger vessels and vessels of similar light construction to address capsize.
Masters would be required to pay special attention to both prevailing and forecasted visibility and environmental conditions, including wind and waves.
Masters of small passenger vessels (less than 65 feet) would be required to have a way to obtain or monitor the latest marine broadcast.
Further, the NPRM proposed revisions added more specific requirements for a vessel owner to show the vessel meets intact, subdivision and damage stability standards.
The report and its attachments, with information protected by the Privacy Act redacted, may be viewed online by clicking here, or visit the U.S. Coast Guard's Homeport site at http://homeport.uscg.mil and then select investigations, marine casualty reports and then other narrative types.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard released Monday the final report of investigation into the March 2004 capsizing of the passenger vessel Lady D in the northwest harbor of the Patapsco River, Baltimore.
Five passengers aboard the Lady D died in the accident.
The report states the accident was initiated by the master's unsafe decision to depart the dock at Fort McHenry in the face of an approaching visible squall line. The report also states that the Lady D, a small pontoon water taxi, capsized when the cumulative effect of many factors created an overturning motion from which the vessel could not recover.
Some of the recommendations in the report include:
Conducting an assessment of the stability of the pontoon passenger vessel fleet to identify vessels that may have an elevated risk of capsizing due to improperly conducted stability tests.
Clarifying guidance in Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 178 conditions under which a vessel’s stability characteristics can be determined based on the known stability characteristics of another vessel.
Providing guidance for the use of enclosed canopies on all lightweight pontoon passenger vessels to allow passengers to egress quickly in the event of capsizing.
The Coast Guard has taken a series of actions to identify, assess and address areas of concern regarding the safe operation of small passenger vessels and pontoon vessel stability. These include direction to Coast Guard inspectors to investigate vessels nationwide that may be at elevated risk of capsizing, a review of stability standards and testing procedures, initiation of a comprehensive regulatory update, and publication of voluntary guidance as an interim measure.
Some of the items addressed in the proposed regulatory changes include:
The average weight per person used in calculations for existing and new vessels would be updated based on the latest weight data reported by the CDC. The average weight would then be automatically updated 60 days after the CDC reports new data for the U.S. population (normally published every 4 years).
At each annual inspection, the owner or operator of a vessel would need to confirm the stability information is still appropriate for the vessel’s intended use.
At each annual inspection, the owner or operator would be required to show marine inspectors how the master determines that the vessel complies with stability requirements.
The stability of each passenger vessel would be verified by deadweight survey at least once every 10 years using the updated average weight per person.
Pontoon stability tests would be updated to reflect the latest improvements from the pontoon passenger vessel initiatives that were conducted in 2008.
A new passenger movement criteria would be implemented for pontoon passenger vessels and vessels of similar light construction to address capsize.
Masters would be required to pay special attention to both prevailing and forecasted visibility and environmental conditions, including wind and waves.
Masters of small passenger vessels (less than 65 feet) would be required to have a way to obtain or monitor the latest marine broadcast.
Further, the NPRM proposed revisions added more specific requirements for a vessel owner to show the vessel meets intact, subdivision and damage stability standards.
The report and its attachments, with information protected by the Privacy Act redacted, may be viewed online by clicking here, or visit the U.S. Coast Guard's Homeport site at http://homeport.uscg.mil and then select investigations, marine casualty reports and then other narrative types.
Scrapping of navy ship nears end
Work to dismantle a former minesweeper on Teesside which began listing heavily after being damaged by metal thieves is nearing its final stages.
Action to scrap the TS Kellington got under way on Stockton's riverside in April after a pipe was severed and she started taking on water.
Able UK has since dismantled most of the ship and is about to begin work to cut her in half and lift out the keel.
The vessel arrived on the River Tees in 1993 and was used as a Sea Cadet base.
The ship became a repeated target for vandals and thieves after the cadets were force to leave the site for health and safety reasons nine years ago.
In April, thieves trying to remove machinery ruptured a main pipe which led to the ship taking on large amounts of water.
Frank Cook MP, who led calls for the ship to be made safe before she began listing, said he was "relieved" the work was almost complete.
He said: "I'm very pleased with the degree of commitment and cooperation in the work done by not only Able UK but by Stockton Council and the Environment Agency.
"This is only the end of this chapter, as what we have to do now is find the Sea Cadets some form of accommodation on the riverside where they can practice the basic skills of seamanship."
The ship was launched as HMS Kellington in 1954 after being built in Sunderland.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/england/tees/8219639.stmPublished: 2009/08/25 09:43:21 GMT© BBC MMIX
Monday, August 24, 2009
Yemen rescues 12 men from sinking ship, one missing
24 Aug 2009 10:24:08 GMT 24 Aug 2009 10:24:08 GMT ## for search indexer, do not remove
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Source: Reuters
ADEN, Yemen, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Yemeni coastguards have rescued 12 men from a Lebanese trade vessel that sank off the coast of Yemen, and one Indian sailor is missing, a government website reported on Monday.
The men rescued were Syrian, Lebanese, Egyptian and Indian, "September 26" said, citing government sources. The ship was heading from the United Arab Emirates to Somalia.
No further details were immediately available on when the incident took place and why the ship sank. Somali pirates have tried to seize ships off the Yemeni coast over the past year. (Reporting by Mohamed al-Mokhashef; Writing by Andrew Hammond; Editing by Louise Ireland) news ## for search indexer, do not remove -->
-->
Source: Reuters
ADEN, Yemen, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Yemeni coastguards have rescued 12 men from a Lebanese trade vessel that sank off the coast of Yemen, and one Indian sailor is missing, a government website reported on Monday.
The men rescued were Syrian, Lebanese, Egyptian and Indian, "September 26" said, citing government sources. The ship was heading from the United Arab Emirates to Somalia.
No further details were immediately available on when the incident took place and why the ship sank. Somali pirates have tried to seize ships off the Yemeni coast over the past year. (Reporting by Mohamed al-Mokhashef; Writing by Andrew Hammond; Editing by Louise Ireland) news ## for search indexer, do not remove -->
Trawler skipper charged with 'drink-sailing' after vessel runs aground
By Chris BrookeLast updated at 4:06 PM on 24th August 2009
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A trawler skipper has been charged with 'drink-sailing' after his vessel ran aground and became stranded.
George Wood, 52, was given a breath test shortly after he and his six-man crew were rescued from the fishing boat when it became stuck on rocks near Filey, North Yorkshire, on Sunday morning.
A coastguard team met the crew of Scottish-registered Honeybourne III at Scarborough Harbour and the skipper appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
Police were called to administer a breath test which the skipper failed, said a coastguard spokesman.
The test recorded 81 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Wood, from Ayr in Scotland, was arrested and later charged with being over the prescribed limit for alcohol under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.
Nobody was injured in the incident and the vessel was undamaged. It was later refloated on the next high tide.
Wood is due to appear before Scarborough Magistrates’ Court on September 10.
The incident began at 9.30 on Sunday morning when a passing fishing boat, the Sunrise, saw a distress flare.
Coastguards failed to raise the Honeybourne on the radio and launched RNLI lifeboats from Scarborough and Filey while the Royal Navy ship HMS Severn stood by.
Meanwhile the Sunrise took the crew on board and returned to Scarborough six miles up the coast.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has been informed of the incident.
Seven years ago Wood was fined £8,000 by Folkestone magistrates in Kent after sailing the same trawler for three hours the wrong way down the world's busiest shipping lane.
The vessel narrowly missed huge passenger ferries as it headed along the English Channel in the wrong direction - the sea-faring equivalent of driving the wrong way down the M25.
He and boat owner Andrew Scott admitted entering a traffic separation zone, travelling the wrong way and sailing without sufficient charts. Scott was fined £6,600.
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Add to My Stories
A trawler skipper has been charged with 'drink-sailing' after his vessel ran aground and became stranded.
George Wood, 52, was given a breath test shortly after he and his six-man crew were rescued from the fishing boat when it became stuck on rocks near Filey, North Yorkshire, on Sunday morning.
A coastguard team met the crew of Scottish-registered Honeybourne III at Scarborough Harbour and the skipper appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
Police were called to administer a breath test which the skipper failed, said a coastguard spokesman.
The test recorded 81 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35 microgrammes.
Wood, from Ayr in Scotland, was arrested and later charged with being over the prescribed limit for alcohol under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.
Nobody was injured in the incident and the vessel was undamaged. It was later refloated on the next high tide.
Wood is due to appear before Scarborough Magistrates’ Court on September 10.
The incident began at 9.30 on Sunday morning when a passing fishing boat, the Sunrise, saw a distress flare.
Coastguards failed to raise the Honeybourne on the radio and launched RNLI lifeboats from Scarborough and Filey while the Royal Navy ship HMS Severn stood by.
Meanwhile the Sunrise took the crew on board and returned to Scarborough six miles up the coast.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has been informed of the incident.
Seven years ago Wood was fined £8,000 by Folkestone magistrates in Kent after sailing the same trawler for three hours the wrong way down the world's busiest shipping lane.
The vessel narrowly missed huge passenger ferries as it headed along the English Channel in the wrong direction - the sea-faring equivalent of driving the wrong way down the M25.
He and boat owner Andrew Scott admitted entering a traffic separation zone, travelling the wrong way and sailing without sufficient charts. Scott was fined £6,600.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Swedish vessel runs aground in canal
Posted on: Saturday, 22 August 2009, 21:32 CDT
A Swedish navy boat made an unexpected landing Saturday when it ran up on shore during a festival in Soderkoping, a witness said.
A Combat Boat 90 was traveling at high speed and attempted to stop suddenly in front of the audience at Kanalfest along the Gota Canal. Instead of stopping, the vessel bounced over the banks of the canal and skidded until it stopped, The Local reported
The boat began to wobble back and forth and the bow was very low in the water. Then the boat drove right up on land onto the canal bank, Fredrik Jonson, a photographer for Norrkopings Tidningar, said.
It stopped about 50 feet from the crowd.
The Navy said it was investigating the incident.
Source: United Press International
A Swedish navy boat made an unexpected landing Saturday when it ran up on shore during a festival in Soderkoping, a witness said.
A Combat Boat 90 was traveling at high speed and attempted to stop suddenly in front of the audience at Kanalfest along the Gota Canal. Instead of stopping, the vessel bounced over the banks of the canal and skidded until it stopped, The Local reported
The boat began to wobble back and forth and the bow was very low in the water. Then the boat drove right up on land onto the canal bank, Fredrik Jonson, a photographer for Norrkopings Tidningar, said.
It stopped about 50 feet from the crowd.
The Navy said it was investigating the incident.
Source: United Press International
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Coast Guard medevacs man from cruise ship in Glacier Bay
KODIAK, Alaska - A Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka medevaced a 70 year-old man who was reportedly suffering from symptoms of cardiac arrest aboard the 965-foot Bahamian-flagged cruise ship Norwegian Pearl in Tarr Inlet of Glacier Bay National Park approximately 100 miles northwest of Juneau Thursday morning.
Personnel at the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Juneau received a phone call at 7:58 a.m. Thursday from the medical staff aboard the cruise ship requesting a medevac for Adam Trobridge, hometown unknown, who was in need of more advanced medical care.
A MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter, crew and flight surgeon departed Sitka at 9:10 a.m. and flew 120 miles to meet the cruise ship in Glacier Bay. Upon arriving on scene at 10:19 a.m. the crew deployed the rescue swimmer to the deck of the cruise ship to assist in preparing the patient for transport.
Trobridge was safely hoisted and the helicopter arrived in Juneau at 11:35 a.m. where he was transferred to emergency medical services in stable condition and taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital. The flight surgeon remained with Trobridge to the hospital.
Weather on scene for the hoist was reported as south winds at 12 mph, seas to two feet and rain showers.
Friday, August 21, 2009
MSU Galveston oversees salvage operation of the UTV Jerry Picton
HOUSTON — Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Galveston is currently overseeing the salvage operation of the 40-foot, 25 gross ton Uninspected Towing Vessel Jerry Picton, Thursday, in the vicinity of Pier 21 in the Port of Galveston.
Salvage operations are currently underway to recover the Jerry Picton, which sank in approximately 40 feet of water in the Port of Galveston after a crane boom fell onto the vessel, Wednesday. Divers from T&T Marine Salvage will be placing straps around the vessel in an effort to lift the vessel out of the water. Once the Jerry Picton is lifted, fuel will be removed from the vessel, and the vessel will then be taken to a local shipyard for repair.
At approximately 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, a crane from the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Ocean Star failed while transferring a skid pan to the UTV Jerry Picton. This apparently caused the crane boom from the Ocean Star to fall onto the Jerry Picton, ultimately sinking the vessel.
There have been no reports of any injuries.
Following the Jerry Picton's sinking, the vessel was reported to be resting on the bed of the Port of Galveston with approximately 1,800 gallons of diesel fuel and 100 gallons of crude oil on board.
T&T Marine Salvage and MSU Galveston personnel responded in less than 30-minutes, placing approximately 500-feet of hard boom around the vessel. Divers then secured the fuel vents. Currently, there is a light sheen on the water's surface contained within the boom.
"We immediately responded to this incident. There has been minimal environmental impact and the Coast Guard will continue to monitor this situation until salvage operations are complete," said Cmdr. Jim Elliott, commanding officer of MSU Galveston.
Salvage operations are currently underway to recover the Jerry Picton, which sank in approximately 40 feet of water in the Port of Galveston after a crane boom fell onto the vessel, Wednesday. Divers from T&T Marine Salvage will be placing straps around the vessel in an effort to lift the vessel out of the water. Once the Jerry Picton is lifted, fuel will be removed from the vessel, and the vessel will then be taken to a local shipyard for repair.
At approximately 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, a crane from the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Ocean Star failed while transferring a skid pan to the UTV Jerry Picton. This apparently caused the crane boom from the Ocean Star to fall onto the Jerry Picton, ultimately sinking the vessel.
There have been no reports of any injuries.
Following the Jerry Picton's sinking, the vessel was reported to be resting on the bed of the Port of Galveston with approximately 1,800 gallons of diesel fuel and 100 gallons of crude oil on board.
T&T Marine Salvage and MSU Galveston personnel responded in less than 30-minutes, placing approximately 500-feet of hard boom around the vessel. Divers then secured the fuel vents. Currently, there is a light sheen on the water's surface contained within the boom.
"We immediately responded to this incident. There has been minimal environmental impact and the Coast Guard will continue to monitor this situation until salvage operations are complete," said Cmdr. Jim Elliott, commanding officer of MSU Galveston.
Rescue and search for nine missing Chinese seamen continues
Photo taken on Aug. 21, 2009 shows the Liberian-registered tanker which collided with a cargo ship in the Strait of Malacca outside Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan of Malaysia.(Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung)
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Stricken Taiwan tanker ablaze in Malacca Strait
2009/08/19
KUALA LUMPUR, Wed: Fire crews today battled a blaze aboard a Taiwanese oil tanker carrying 58,000 tonnes of naphtha fuel in the Malacca Strait after it collided with another ship, police said.
Nine Chinese crew members were missing after the tanker collided with a Greek-managed bulk carrier vessel on the vital Asian shipping route.“The MT Formosa Product Brick is on fire and is now listing on its left side. We fear it may sink,” marine police chief Rizal Ramli said.“The collision happened last night in clear weather off Port Dickson. We have rescued 16 crew members, mainly of Chinese nationality,” he said, adding that two of the rescued crew were Taiwanese.
Negri Sembilan police chief Datuk Osman Salleh, said the ship was loaded with 58,000 tonnes of naphtha and was heading for South Korea via Singapore.He said some oil had been spilt and that dozens of maritime officials and a total of 11 boats and two helicopters were battling the blaze. “The missing nine crew members are Chinese. There is some oil spill,” he said.Osman said the burning tanker was not a threat to other ships in the Strait and was not disrupting traffic.Accidents are rare in the narrow Malacca Strait, a vital artery for world trade.Rizal said a search was under way off the coast of Port Dickson, for the missing crew members.“The bulk carrier slammed into the left side of the Taiwanese tanker that was coming from United Arab Emirates,” he said.Maritime officials said the bulk carrier was flying the Isle of Man flag.The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said in a statement that the bulk carrier MV Ostende Max did not suffer serious damage and had been ordered to berth near Port Dickson for investigations.
Rizal said the 16 crew members rescued had been admitted to hospital in Port Dickson.
At least 94,000 ships sail the narrow strait each year, of which 20 per cent are Japanese vessels, most of them large crude oil carriers.Last month a Japanese foundation warned of potential dangers in the Strait and urged ship owners to contribute to the Malacca Strait navigation safety fund to help maintain buoys and other navigational aids.“There is a potential for an accident to happen. If it involves crude oil tankers, there will be a major oil spill. This could disrupt international trade,” Nippon Foundation chairman Yohei Sasakawa told AFP.The Malacca Strait, one of the busiest waterways in the world, is vital to Japan’s national interests as more than 80 percent of its oil passes through it. - AFP
KUALA LUMPUR, Wed: Fire crews today battled a blaze aboard a Taiwanese oil tanker carrying 58,000 tonnes of naphtha fuel in the Malacca Strait after it collided with another ship, police said.
Nine Chinese crew members were missing after the tanker collided with a Greek-managed bulk carrier vessel on the vital Asian shipping route.“The MT Formosa Product Brick is on fire and is now listing on its left side. We fear it may sink,” marine police chief Rizal Ramli said.“The collision happened last night in clear weather off Port Dickson. We have rescued 16 crew members, mainly of Chinese nationality,” he said, adding that two of the rescued crew were Taiwanese.
Negri Sembilan police chief Datuk Osman Salleh, said the ship was loaded with 58,000 tonnes of naphtha and was heading for South Korea via Singapore.He said some oil had been spilt and that dozens of maritime officials and a total of 11 boats and two helicopters were battling the blaze. “The missing nine crew members are Chinese. There is some oil spill,” he said.Osman said the burning tanker was not a threat to other ships in the Strait and was not disrupting traffic.Accidents are rare in the narrow Malacca Strait, a vital artery for world trade.Rizal said a search was under way off the coast of Port Dickson, for the missing crew members.“The bulk carrier slammed into the left side of the Taiwanese tanker that was coming from United Arab Emirates,” he said.Maritime officials said the bulk carrier was flying the Isle of Man flag.The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said in a statement that the bulk carrier MV Ostende Max did not suffer serious damage and had been ordered to berth near Port Dickson for investigations.
Rizal said the 16 crew members rescued had been admitted to hospital in Port Dickson.
At least 94,000 ships sail the narrow strait each year, of which 20 per cent are Japanese vessels, most of them large crude oil carriers.Last month a Japanese foundation warned of potential dangers in the Strait and urged ship owners to contribute to the Malacca Strait navigation safety fund to help maintain buoys and other navigational aids.“There is a potential for an accident to happen. If it involves crude oil tankers, there will be a major oil spill. This could disrupt international trade,” Nippon Foundation chairman Yohei Sasakawa told AFP.The Malacca Strait, one of the busiest waterways in the world, is vital to Japan’s national interests as more than 80 percent of its oil passes through it. - AFP
NZ Navy releases sunken ferry pics
The New Zealand Navy has released graphic images of the sunken Tongan ferry Princess Ashika, taken by its submarine on Monday.
The pictures clearly show the vessel's name plate, scattered debris and tangles of cables on the ship's deck. The ship was intact and sitting upright, though one side is obstructed and the the submarine couldn't see the passenger deck.
The remotely-operated submarine was, however, able to take pictures inside the ship's cargo hold.
"The water clarity is reported to be very good and this has allowed the team to be able to conduct a good, thorough search of the sunken vessel," New Zealand Navy Lieutenant Commander Barbara Fleissner said.
The 36-year-old vessel sank around midnight on August 5, 86km northeast of the island's capital of Nuku'alofa.
Tongan police yesterday confirmed two dead, 73 unaccounted for and 54 survivors.
Of those unaccounted for, 67 were on the ferry when it sank, Tongan police commander Chris Kelley said.
The navy submarine had also photographed an upturned ambulance, believed to be that donated to the hospital on the outlying island of Hunga by a church from Bakersfield, California.
The vehicle was filled with medical supplies the congregation of the First United Methodist Church had been collecting for two years, news website Turnto23.com reported.
Meanwhile, the board of the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd (SCP), the Tongan state-owned organisation operating the vessel, have made their first public statement since the sinking.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, SCP chairwoman 'Alisi Taumoepeau extended the company's condolences and sympathy to families of those killed in the sinking, Tongan news website Matangitonga.to reported.
However, she said the company could not comment on the vessel's seaworthiness or how the sinking happened until the Royal Commission of Inquiry had been completed.
Families of those killed in the sinking had been camping outside SCP's offices since August 5, and the company was providing food, grief counselling and daily updates to them, she said.
"We also have a church minister to talk and pray with families and I think that is the most we can do at this stage," she said.
"We have a very small nation of 100,000 people and about 100 people are lost at sea, which just about touches everybody in the country. And we are just taking it one day at a time and we ensure that our support is ongoing for as long it is needed and just walk with the people."
The pictures clearly show the vessel's name plate, scattered debris and tangles of cables on the ship's deck. The ship was intact and sitting upright, though one side is obstructed and the the submarine couldn't see the passenger deck.
The remotely-operated submarine was, however, able to take pictures inside the ship's cargo hold.
"The water clarity is reported to be very good and this has allowed the team to be able to conduct a good, thorough search of the sunken vessel," New Zealand Navy Lieutenant Commander Barbara Fleissner said.
The 36-year-old vessel sank around midnight on August 5, 86km northeast of the island's capital of Nuku'alofa.
Tongan police yesterday confirmed two dead, 73 unaccounted for and 54 survivors.
Of those unaccounted for, 67 were on the ferry when it sank, Tongan police commander Chris Kelley said.
The navy submarine had also photographed an upturned ambulance, believed to be that donated to the hospital on the outlying island of Hunga by a church from Bakersfield, California.
The vehicle was filled with medical supplies the congregation of the First United Methodist Church had been collecting for two years, news website Turnto23.com reported.
Meanwhile, the board of the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd (SCP), the Tongan state-owned organisation operating the vessel, have made their first public statement since the sinking.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, SCP chairwoman 'Alisi Taumoepeau extended the company's condolences and sympathy to families of those killed in the sinking, Tongan news website Matangitonga.to reported.
However, she said the company could not comment on the vessel's seaworthiness or how the sinking happened until the Royal Commission of Inquiry had been completed.
Families of those killed in the sinking had been camping outside SCP's offices since August 5, and the company was providing food, grief counselling and daily updates to them, she said.
"We also have a church minister to talk and pray with families and I think that is the most we can do at this stage," she said.
"We have a very small nation of 100,000 people and about 100 people are lost at sea, which just about touches everybody in the country. And we are just taking it one day at a time and we ensure that our support is ongoing for as long it is needed and just walk with the people."
--NZPA
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Shipping on east China river brought to stands
BEIJING, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - More than 8,000 cargo vessels are stuck in eastern China due to flooding caused by typhoon Morakot, the Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.High water levels have forced the authorities to suspend navigation on a river linking Changxing, Huzhou and Shanghai, creating a 40-kilometer tailback.
Rain storms associated with typhoon Morakot caused widespread flooding, and the waterway has been closed to shipping for the past 13 days because of safety concerns.
Authorities say shipping services will not resume until the water recedes to a safe level. It is not clear how long this might take, although steps were being taken to accelerate the process.
Morakot was the eighth typhoon to hit China this year. It has claimed at least six lives and caused an estimated $1.33 billion in damage. The Chinese authorities have allocated $77.2 million to help those affected.
Tugboat sinks off Treasure Island, spills oil
John King
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
(08-17) 18:36 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A decommissioned U.S. Navy tugboat sank off Treasure Island on Monday afternoon, spilling a sheen of oil onto San Francisco Bay.
At 11:49 a.m., the tug was reported low in the water near a pier on the southeast corner of the island. By afternoon it was submerged except for the tip of the mast.
A thin sheen of oil had reached as far as Berkeley Marina.
It's unlikely that more than 25 gallons of diesel fuel and 10 gallons of lube oil leaked from the tug, said Diane Shipway of Parker Diving Service, one of two firms brought in by the Coast Guard to assist in the cleanup. Nor are there reports of harm to wildlife, said Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Jeremy Pichette.
Originally the Wenonah, the tug was taken out of service in 1974. It is owned by the Historic Tugboat Education and Restoration Society.
- John King
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/18/BACG19A0B5.DTL
This article appeared on page C - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Monday, August 17, 2009
Turkish navy ship hits reef off Greek coast
16/08/2009
ANKARA, Turkey -- A Turkish navy ship ran into a reef Friday (August 14h) in the Mediterranean Sea not far from Greece, according to local TV station ERT. The Bodrum corvette was returning from northern Cyprus. The incident damaged the keel of the vessel. Divers with the Greek marines recovered part of the equipment that had sheared off and returned it to the Turkish crew. Greece and Turkey are NATO allies despite their disputes about sovereignty and related rights in the area of the Aegean Sea and the Cypriot issue. (RIA Novosti, ERT - 14/08/09)
ANKARA, Turkey -- A Turkish navy ship ran into a reef Friday (August 14h) in the Mediterranean Sea not far from Greece, according to local TV station ERT. The Bodrum corvette was returning from northern Cyprus. The incident damaged the keel of the vessel. Divers with the Greek marines recovered part of the equipment that had sheared off and returned it to the Turkish crew. Greece and Turkey are NATO allies despite their disputes about sovereignty and related rights in the area of the Aegean Sea and the Cypriot issue. (RIA Novosti, ERT - 14/08/09)
Friday, August 14, 2009
Missing 'ghost ship' Arctic Sea spotted off Cape Verde
Last updated at 6:05 PM on 14th August 2009
The cargo ship that mysteriously disappeared off the English Channel has been found 400 miles off the coast of the African nation Cape Verde, the French Defence Ministry said tonight.
Earlier today rumours that the ship had been spotted off the West African nation had been reported but unconfirmed.
However this afternoon the AFP, quoting a coastguard, is claiming that the ship has been found 400 miles off the coast of the former Portuguese colony.
The cargo ship that mysteriously disappeared off the English Channel has been found 400 miles off the coast of the African nation Cape Verde, the French Defence Ministry said tonight.
Earlier today rumours that the ship had been spotted off the West African nation had been reported but unconfirmed.
However this afternoon the AFP, quoting a coastguard, is claiming that the ship has been found 400 miles off the coast of the former Portuguese colony.
'The Arctic Sea is some 400 nautical miles off one of the islands of Cape Verde, therefore outside its territorial waters,' a Cape Verde coastguard official told the AFP news agency.
French officials also said they had found a ship resembling the missing Arctic Sea near the Cape Verde islands, according to Defence Ministry spokesman Capt. Jerome Baroe.
He said details had been relayed to Russian and Maltese authorities.
Russia's ambassador to Cape Verde said a Russian naval frigate was headed to the area.
The Russian state news agency ITAR-Tass and the German paper Financial Times Deutschland both reported today that the ship was spotted near the islands of Cape Verde.
ITAR-Tass, reporting from London, cited unidentified officials at Nato; the newspaper cited two sources but did not identify them.
This afternoon the AFP appears to have confirmed the story by speaking with a coastguard official.French officials also said they had found a ship resembling the missing Arctic Sea near the Cape Verde islands, according to Defence Ministry spokesman Capt. Jerome Baroe.
He said details had been relayed to Russian and Maltese authorities.
Russia's ambassador to Cape Verde said a Russian naval frigate was headed to the area.
The Russian state news agency ITAR-Tass and the German paper Financial Times Deutschland both reported today that the ship was spotted near the islands of Cape Verde.
ITAR-Tass, reporting from London, cited unidentified officials at Nato; the newspaper cited two sources but did not identify them.
The maritime world had been rife with speculation over the fate of the apparently hijacked Arctic Sea, a cargo ship that was heading from Finland to Algeria when it apparently vanished into thin air.
Nothing had been heard from the 15 Russian crew members of the ship since it made a routine call to the Dover coastguard 16 days ago.
The crew had reported that the ship was boarded June 24 in Swedish waters by up to a dozen masked men, who tied them up, questioned them about drug trafficking, beat them and carried out an extensive search before leaving 12 hours later in a high-speed inflatable boat.
The alleged attack, unusual in itself, raised further concerns because it was not reported until the freighter had passed through Britain's busy shipping lanes and was heading out into the wide Atlantic.
Yesterday Mikhail Voitenko, editor of Russia's Sovfracht maritime bulletin, said the ship, carrying about £1 million-worth of sawn timber, might have been targeted because it was also loaded with an unknown cargo.
He told the Russia Today news channel: 'The only sensible answer is that the vessel was loaded secretly with something we don't know anything about.
'We have to remember that before loading in Finland the vessel stayed for two weeks in a shipyard in Kaliningrad.
'I'm sure it cannot be drugs or illegal criminal cargo. I think it is something much more expensive and dangerous.
'It seems some third party didn't want this transit to be fulfilled so they made this situation highly sophisticated and very complicated.'
There have been fears that Russian gangsters are illegally shipping arms to Africa.
Other theories that maritime experts have put forward to explain what happened include:
The ship was seized by pirates and will be held for ransom. This would mirror recent hijacking by Somali-based pirates operating off East Africa, but would be a first for Northern Europe.
It was put into a small West African port, repainted, renamed and relaunched as a 'phantom ship' to be used by pirates in attacks on other vessels. This happened often in the 1990s in South-East Asia.
It was at the centre of an ownership or commercial dispute. The vessel has a complicated background, being Latvian-owned, Maltese-flagged and operating from the Russian port of Arkhangelsk. '
It was stranded somewhere off the coast of West Africa after losing power and communications. Experts have ruled out a sinking, pointing out that, if that were the case, the ship's timber cargo would almost certainly have been found floating by now.
He told the Russia Today news channel: 'The only sensible answer is that the vessel was loaded secretly with something we don't know anything about.
'We have to remember that before loading in Finland the vessel stayed for two weeks in a shipyard in Kaliningrad.
'I'm sure it cannot be drugs or illegal criminal cargo. I think it is something much more expensive and dangerous.
'It seems some third party didn't want this transit to be fulfilled so they made this situation highly sophisticated and very complicated.'
There have been fears that Russian gangsters are illegally shipping arms to Africa.
Other theories that maritime experts have put forward to explain what happened include:
The ship was seized by pirates and will be held for ransom. This would mirror recent hijacking by Somali-based pirates operating off East Africa, but would be a first for Northern Europe.
It was put into a small West African port, repainted, renamed and relaunched as a 'phantom ship' to be used by pirates in attacks on other vessels. This happened often in the 1990s in South-East Asia.
It was at the centre of an ownership or commercial dispute. The vessel has a complicated background, being Latvian-owned, Maltese-flagged and operating from the Russian port of Arkhangelsk. '
It was stranded somewhere off the coast of West Africa after losing power and communications. Experts have ruled out a sinking, pointing out that, if that were the case, the ship's timber cargo would almost certainly have been found floating by now.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Coast Guard saves 6 from capsized vessel, locates body of possible 7th passenger
Date: Aug. 12, 2009
MOBILE, Ala. — The Coast Guard rescued six of seven people after their vessel capsized in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday. A body was found in the pilot house of vessel, and has been turned over to local authorities for identification and next of kin notifications.
Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report at approximately 3:30 p.m. from the captain of the off shore supply vessel Fighting Chicken that a 21-foot recreational vessel had capsized 27 miles south of Petit Bois Island, Miss. Sector Mobile immediately launched the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Coho, homeported in Panama City, Fl., an MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter and crew from Air Station New Orleans, and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry rescue plane and crew from Aviation Training Center, Mobile, Ala. to assist in the search and rescue.
Four survivors were picked up by the Fighting Chicken and later transferred to the Coho. Two additional survivors were found on a nearby oil rig by the crew of the rescue helicopter and hoisted into the helicopter and taken to Gulfport Regional Airport where local emergency medical services were standing by.
The rescue helicopter and crew returned to the scene to continue the search for the missing person.
A Sea Tow vessel with assistance from the Coho, helped right the capsized vessel. A body was found in the pilot house and has been turned over to local authorities for identification and next of kin notifications.
The condition of those rescued is unknown.
The incident is under investigation.
MOBILE, Ala. — The Coast Guard rescued six of seven people after their vessel capsized in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday. A body was found in the pilot house of vessel, and has been turned over to local authorities for identification and next of kin notifications.
Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report at approximately 3:30 p.m. from the captain of the off shore supply vessel Fighting Chicken that a 21-foot recreational vessel had capsized 27 miles south of Petit Bois Island, Miss. Sector Mobile immediately launched the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Coho, homeported in Panama City, Fl., an MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter and crew from Air Station New Orleans, and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry rescue plane and crew from Aviation Training Center, Mobile, Ala. to assist in the search and rescue.
Four survivors were picked up by the Fighting Chicken and later transferred to the Coho. Two additional survivors were found on a nearby oil rig by the crew of the rescue helicopter and hoisted into the helicopter and taken to Gulfport Regional Airport where local emergency medical services were standing by.
The rescue helicopter and crew returned to the scene to continue the search for the missing person.
A Sea Tow vessel with assistance from the Coho, helped right the capsized vessel. A body was found in the pilot house and has been turned over to local authorities for identification and next of kin notifications.
The condition of those rescued is unknown.
The incident is under investigation.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur responds to collision between two towing vessels
Date: August 11, 2009
PORT ARTHUR, Texas— Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur is responding to a collision between the towing vessel Caroline and the towing vessel Miss Stacie at mile marker 312 on the Intracoastal Waterway, Tuesday.
The collision occured just east of the High Island Bridge while both vessels were pushing barges. After the collision, the Caroline began taking on water. The five crewmembers from the Caroline were rescued by the crew of towing vessel Redeemer, which was nearby at the time. There were no injuries reported. After rescuing the five crewmembers, the Redeemer assisted with the Caroline's five barges.
The Intracoastal Waterway is closed to all traffic from mile marker 310 to mile marker 315.
A Unified Command comprised of Canal Barge Company, Texas General Land Office, and the Coast Guard has been established to respond to the incident. The Unified Command ensured assets were quickly dispatched to the scene, said Captain J.J. Plunkett, comanding officer of MSU Port Arthur and captain of the port.
"We have put together a great team. Canal Barge Company has been very responsive and forward leaning in addressing all the environmental and salvage issues. Once we have assessed the situation more thoroughly, our next priority will be to get barge traffic moving," said Plunkett.
Protective booming has been placed around the Caroline which is partially submerged. Initial reports indicate only a minimal oil sheen, most of the Caroline is located within protective booming. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department provided air support to assess any potential environmental damage.
The Unified Command is developing and evaluating salvage plans for the Caroline.
The Coast Guard is currently investigating the cause of this incident.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Russian Navy Joins Search for Freighter Attacked by Pirates
The Arctic Sea docked at Lovisa, Finland in April 2008. Image: Henrik Hilli
By Paul Abelsky
Aug. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Russia’s navy and Federal Security Service, the primary successor to the Soviet-era KGB, are searching for a Finnish ship with a Russian crew that disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean en route to Algeria.
Radio contact with the freighter Arctic Sea was lost on July 28, according to a statement posted on the navy’s Web site today. The ship, which sails under the Maltese flag, had 13 to 15 crewmembers on board, the navy said.
The Arctic Sea, operated by Oy Solchart Management AB, was scheduled to arrive in Bejaia, Algeria on Aug. 4, the Sovfracht maritime news Web site reported yesterday. The ship, built in 1991, has 4,706 deadweight tons capacity, the navy said.
The Arctic Sea was attacked in Swedish territorial waters on July 24. The crew was tied up and assaulted while masked pirates searched the cargo vessel. It was boarded between the Swedish islands of Oeland and Gotland in the Baltic Sea by the group who identified themselves as police officers, Swedish police said in a statement on July 31.
Stora Enso Oyj, Europe’s largest papermaker, had a lumber cargo valued at 1.3 million euros ($1.8 million) on the ship, Helsingin Sanomat reported today. The vessel was carrying sawn wood products from the Finnish company, the newspaper said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Abelsky in St. Petersburg at pabelsky@bloomberg.net. Last Updated: August 9, 2009 11:44 EDT
Aug. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Russia’s navy and Federal Security Service, the primary successor to the Soviet-era KGB, are searching for a Finnish ship with a Russian crew that disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean en route to Algeria.
Radio contact with the freighter Arctic Sea was lost on July 28, according to a statement posted on the navy’s Web site today. The ship, which sails under the Maltese flag, had 13 to 15 crewmembers on board, the navy said.
The Arctic Sea, operated by Oy Solchart Management AB, was scheduled to arrive in Bejaia, Algeria on Aug. 4, the Sovfracht maritime news Web site reported yesterday. The ship, built in 1991, has 4,706 deadweight tons capacity, the navy said.
The Arctic Sea was attacked in Swedish territorial waters on July 24. The crew was tied up and assaulted while masked pirates searched the cargo vessel. It was boarded between the Swedish islands of Oeland and Gotland in the Baltic Sea by the group who identified themselves as police officers, Swedish police said in a statement on July 31.
Stora Enso Oyj, Europe’s largest papermaker, had a lumber cargo valued at 1.3 million euros ($1.8 million) on the ship, Helsingin Sanomat reported today. The vessel was carrying sawn wood products from the Finnish company, the newspaper said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Abelsky in St. Petersburg at pabelsky@bloomberg.net. Last Updated: August 9, 2009 11:44 EDT
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Coast Guard rescues three after vessel takes on water near Keansburg, N.J.
Date: Aug. 7, 2009
NEW YORK – The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three mariners after their vessel began taking on water near Keansburg, N.J., around 7:25 p.m. this evening.
A rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook, the New York Fire Department and Towboat US all responded to the distress call.
“The vessel was taking on water at a very high rate and the engines were completely submerged by the time our crews got on scene,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Felix Moreau, the engineer of the Station Sandy Hook crew which responded. “Our crew recovered two of the people and dewatered the craft, which Towboat US towed to Lentz Marina in Keansburg.”
The mariners were also taken to Lentz Marina. No injuries were reported.
The source of the leak could not be identified and the vessel will be hauled out for inspection.
Weather on scene was reported as 10-mile-per-hour winds and two-foot seas at the time of the incident.
NEW YORK – The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three mariners after their vessel began taking on water near Keansburg, N.J., around 7:25 p.m. this evening.
A rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook, the New York Fire Department and Towboat US all responded to the distress call.
“The vessel was taking on water at a very high rate and the engines were completely submerged by the time our crews got on scene,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Felix Moreau, the engineer of the Station Sandy Hook crew which responded. “Our crew recovered two of the people and dewatered the craft, which Towboat US towed to Lentz Marina in Keansburg.”
The mariners were also taken to Lentz Marina. No injuries were reported.
The source of the leak could not be identified and the vessel will be hauled out for inspection.
Weather on scene was reported as 10-mile-per-hour winds and two-foot seas at the time of the incident.
Tongan Ferry 'Princess Ashika' search and support mission
Members of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Clearance Diving Team One (AUSCDT ONE) prepare a Zodiac to load onto a Tongan Naval Vessel for the ferry 'Princess Ashika' Search and Support mission.
08 August 2009
Australian Navy clearance divers have deployed to Tonga to help recover bodies from the sunken ferry ‘Princess Ashika’.
Sixteen RAN personnel landed in the Pacific kingdom at 5am local time on Saturday 8 August after flying from Richmond RAAF base aboard a C-130J Hercules the previous night.
The short notice deployment resulted from an official request from the Government of Tonga for Australian assistance in recovery operations.
The divers from Australian Clearance Diving Team One will work with a diving team from the Royal New Zealand Navy in support of the Tongan Defence Service.
A joint diving reconnaissance mission aboard the Tongan patrol boat VOEA Pangai was launched on Saturday afternoon from His Majesty’s Navy Base Masefield (Touliki). The reconnaissance of the dive site is the precursor to any recovery operation.
The exact location of the ferry is unkown, although a search area has been established.
The Princess Ashika sunk on Wednesday night during a regular weekly service, carrying 141 people aboard.
A Tongan patrol boat recovered two bodies and 54 survivors, including 28 crew members from the ferry. Eighty five people remain unaccounted for.
The sinking of Princess Ashika is Tonga’s worst ferry disaster since December 1977 when the boat ‘Tokomea’ disappeared with 63 people on board.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Chinese embassy officials offer help to solve freighter accident in Greece
http://www.chinaview.cn/index.htm 2009-08-07 13:21:55
Chinese Hong Kong freighter Jin Zhou berthes at the port of Karistos, Greece, on Aug. 5, 2009. The cargo freighter of Jin Zhou clashed with a Greek freighter on Aug. 4, with both slightly damaged in the accident.(Xinhua/Liang Yeqian)
EUBOEA ISLAND, Greece, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Officials from the Chinese embassy in Greece on Wednesday went to the Euboea Island to deal with the collision between freighters of Greece and Hong Kong. The two freighters clashed at the sea off the Euboea coast Tuesday noon. And they anchored at the Karystos port on the southern Euboea later, both slightly damaged. Embassy officials visited the staff from local harbor authorities, hoping that the Greek side could finish the investigation into the accident as soon as possible. They also hoped that the Greek authorities could offer convenience to the crew on the Hong Kong freighter and let it continue its journey. The embassy officials then embarked on the Hong Kong freighter, named Jin Zhou, leaving some fruit and vegetable to the sailors. Zheng Xiyuan, charged affaires of the Chinese embassy in Greece, said that the cause of the collision had not been determined.
The Chinese embassy was contacting with the Greek side to help the Chinese freighter, said Zhen.
Jin Zhou is a 50,000-ton freight ship owned by a Hong Kong company. The captain and chief engineer are from Hong Kong, while the rest 22 crew are from the Chinese mainland. The freighter had been on its trip for 21 days, heading for Turkey.
Editor: Pan Yanan
Jin Zhou is a 50,000-ton freight ship owned by a Hong Kong company. The captain and chief engineer are from Hong Kong, while the rest 22 crew are from the Chinese mainland. The freighter had been on its trip for 21 days, heading for Turkey.
Editor: Pan Yanan
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Briton among scores killed in Tonga ferry disaster
From Times Online August 6, 2009
A life raft from Princess Ashika, which sank 86 km (53.4 miles) northeast of the Tongan capital of Nuku'alofa
Sophie Tedmanson in Sydney
A British man was killed and scores of people remain missing, feared dead, after a ferry sank off the Polynesian island of Tonga in the South Pacific overnight.
The Princess Ashika was ferrying more than 79 passengers and crew between islands when it “sank fast” about 54 miles northeast of the Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa.
Dan McMillan, a British passport holder, has been confirmed as one of two bodies recovered by an international search and rescue operation co-ordinated by New Zealand authorities.
A member of the Tongan police told The Times that a New Zealand driver’s licence was found on the body of Mr McMillan, who was pulled dead from the wreckage. He had been living in New Zealand for the past five years, and is believed to have family in a remote area of Scotland.
The body of a European woman was also recovered from the sea but she has not been identified.
Tongan police said that 28 crew and 23 passengers were rescued, of whom many had made it on to lifeboats before the vessel sank in 35m of water. At least 25 people remain unaccounted for, but the local police conceded it was possible there could have been more people on board.
The Princess Ashika, which was on a routine trip between Tonatapu and Vava’u, made a mayday call at 11.50pm local time on Wednesday night and an emergency beacon was activated.
New Zealand’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre then launched a big search operation involving two Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion aircraft along with four vessels which have been searching for survivors throughout the day.
According to survivors most of the missing were believed to be women and children who were asleep below decks when the vessel sank.
"No women or children made it," a local man, Siaosi Lavaka, told Matangi Tonga Online.
Mr Siaosi, whose mother remains missing, said the sea was very rough and the waves had reached the lower deck of the ferry which began to rock from side to side before it overturned just before midnight.
"We woke up to the sound of shouting and we jumped off," he said.
According to the New Zealand Rescue Co-ordination Centre, which is responsible for search and rescue activities in the Tonga region, the ferry sank fast “but we don't know why”.
“But we understand there were only eight life rafts ... so we are looking for people in the water,” Neville Blackmore, a spokesman, said.
He said there were strong winds at the time, but the water temperature was about 77F (25C). “There's a lot better chance of surviving in that sort of temperature,” Mr Blackmore said.
Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister who is hosting a meeting of South Pacific leaders in Cairns today, said there had been "considerable loss of life".
"As leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum we have already extended to the Prime Minister of Tonga our condolences to the people of Tonga," Mr Rudd said.
The sinking was "doubly tragic for the Pacific region" as it followed the sinking of a ferry last month in Kiribati which left 33 people dead, Murray McCully, New Zealand's Foreign Minister, said.
The Princess Ashika, built in about 1970, was being used as a stand-in vessel until a new ferry was completed.
A life raft from Princess Ashika, which sank 86 km (53.4 miles) northeast of the Tongan capital of Nuku'alofaSophie Tedmanson in Sydney
A British man was killed and scores of people remain missing, feared dead, after a ferry sank off the Polynesian island of Tonga in the South Pacific overnight.
The Princess Ashika was ferrying more than 79 passengers and crew between islands when it “sank fast” about 54 miles northeast of the Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa.
Dan McMillan, a British passport holder, has been confirmed as one of two bodies recovered by an international search and rescue operation co-ordinated by New Zealand authorities.
A member of the Tongan police told The Times that a New Zealand driver’s licence was found on the body of Mr McMillan, who was pulled dead from the wreckage. He had been living in New Zealand for the past five years, and is believed to have family in a remote area of Scotland.
The body of a European woman was also recovered from the sea but she has not been identified.
Tongan police said that 28 crew and 23 passengers were rescued, of whom many had made it on to lifeboats before the vessel sank in 35m of water. At least 25 people remain unaccounted for, but the local police conceded it was possible there could have been more people on board.
The Princess Ashika, which was on a routine trip between Tonatapu and Vava’u, made a mayday call at 11.50pm local time on Wednesday night and an emergency beacon was activated.
New Zealand’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre then launched a big search operation involving two Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion aircraft along with four vessels which have been searching for survivors throughout the day.
According to survivors most of the missing were believed to be women and children who were asleep below decks when the vessel sank.
"No women or children made it," a local man, Siaosi Lavaka, told Matangi Tonga Online.
Mr Siaosi, whose mother remains missing, said the sea was very rough and the waves had reached the lower deck of the ferry which began to rock from side to side before it overturned just before midnight.
"We woke up to the sound of shouting and we jumped off," he said.
According to the New Zealand Rescue Co-ordination Centre, which is responsible for search and rescue activities in the Tonga region, the ferry sank fast “but we don't know why”.
“But we understand there were only eight life rafts ... so we are looking for people in the water,” Neville Blackmore, a spokesman, said.
He said there were strong winds at the time, but the water temperature was about 77F (25C). “There's a lot better chance of surviving in that sort of temperature,” Mr Blackmore said.
Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister who is hosting a meeting of South Pacific leaders in Cairns today, said there had been "considerable loss of life".
"As leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum we have already extended to the Prime Minister of Tonga our condolences to the people of Tonga," Mr Rudd said.
The sinking was "doubly tragic for the Pacific region" as it followed the sinking of a ferry last month in Kiribati which left 33 people dead, Murray McCully, New Zealand's Foreign Minister, said.
The Princess Ashika, built in about 1970, was being used as a stand-in vessel until a new ferry was completed.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Tall ship Unicorn runs aground on rocks
WOODS HOLE, Mass. - A Sea Tow boat works to free the 118-foot tall ship Unicorn after it ran aground on rocks in Great Harbor near Woods Hole, Mass., Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009. (Coast Guard photo/Seaman Johanna Polanco Garcia)
Monday, August 3, 2009
Coast Guard responds to helicopter crash in Maine
'
BOSTON - A Coast Guard Station Rockland, Maine 25-foot response boat pushes a helicopter that crashed to shore in Penobscot Bay near Little Deer Island, Maine, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Station Rockland)
Norway police charge ship captain after fuel spill
03 Aug 2009 16:05:49 GMT 03 Aug 2009 16:05:49 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Wojciech Moskwa
OSLO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Norwegian police on Monday charged the Chinese captain of a dry bulk vessel for not warning the coastal authorities that his ship was in danger during a storm last week that led to one of Norway's biggest fuel spills.
The Chinese-owned "Full City" ship has remained grounded near Langesund since early Friday morning, when it was blown off course during a heavy storm and started leaking fuel.
The spill has affected a 150-kilometre (93 mile) stretch of coastline in southern Norway and occurred near a bird sanctuary and a popular summer resort about 170 km south-west of Oslo.
"The captain of the vessel has been charged for not reporting that his ship was in a dangerous situation," police attorney Siri Karlsen told a news conference. The charge carries a maximum two-year jail sentence, Norway's TV2 television said.
The clean up efforts have involved some 25 ships helping to contain the fuel, which has now stopped leaking from the vessel's hull. Onshore workers are also working to clear the syrupy dark fuel from the mostly rocky coastline.
"The situation is very sad both for the residents and the entire environment affected by the spill," said Helga Pedersen, Norway's fisheries and coastal affairs minister.
Sveinung Nedregotten, a spokesman for the Norwegian coastal administration, said wind and waves were pushing the spill southwest along Norway's coast, although the damage to areas further away from the accident was smaller.
It was not yet clear how much of the vessel's 1,120 tonnes of fuel had leaked out. The ship is operated by Hong Kong-based Cosco <0517.hk>. Its 23-strong crew are all Chinese nationals.
"This is one of Norway's worst spills, particularly because it happened in this pristine area near bird sanctuaries," Nedregotten said.
"If the weather stays like this, the ship should be quite stable ... allowing us to empty all its fuel." (Editing by Jon Hemming) news ## for search indexer, do not remove -->
Source: Reuters
By Wojciech Moskwa
OSLO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Norwegian police on Monday charged the Chinese captain of a dry bulk vessel for not warning the coastal authorities that his ship was in danger during a storm last week that led to one of Norway's biggest fuel spills.
The Chinese-owned "Full City" ship has remained grounded near Langesund since early Friday morning, when it was blown off course during a heavy storm and started leaking fuel.
The spill has affected a 150-kilometre (93 mile) stretch of coastline in southern Norway and occurred near a bird sanctuary and a popular summer resort about 170 km south-west of Oslo.
"The captain of the vessel has been charged for not reporting that his ship was in a dangerous situation," police attorney Siri Karlsen told a news conference. The charge carries a maximum two-year jail sentence, Norway's TV2 television said.
The clean up efforts have involved some 25 ships helping to contain the fuel, which has now stopped leaking from the vessel's hull. Onshore workers are also working to clear the syrupy dark fuel from the mostly rocky coastline.
"The situation is very sad both for the residents and the entire environment affected by the spill," said Helga Pedersen, Norway's fisheries and coastal affairs minister.
Sveinung Nedregotten, a spokesman for the Norwegian coastal administration, said wind and waves were pushing the spill southwest along Norway's coast, although the damage to areas further away from the accident was smaller.
It was not yet clear how much of the vessel's 1,120 tonnes of fuel had leaked out. The ship is operated by Hong Kong-based Cosco <0517.hk>. Its 23-strong crew are all Chinese nationals.
"This is one of Norway's worst spills, particularly because it happened in this pristine area near bird sanctuaries," Nedregotten said.
"If the weather stays like this, the ship should be quite stable ... allowing us to empty all its fuel." (Editing by Jon Hemming) news ## for search indexer, do not remove -->
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Sunken Norwegian ship identified, no sign of crew
02.08.2009, 16.56
STOCKHOLM, August 2 (Itar-Tass) - Swedish coastal guards have identified the sunken Norwegian ship with a Russian-Ukrainian crew on board. The remote-controlled camera of submersible robot sunken to the Baltic Sea floor at the site where the ship was believed to have sunk, screened its name, Langeland, one hour later.
Work has been suspended, as there is a risk that the robot may get stuck in ship’s masts, a representative of the coastal guards said in a televised interview. Meanwhile, rescuers have found no trace of six seamen – four Russians and two Ukrainian nationals.
The ship wrecked on Friday amid high seas. The search for the crew was stopped after rescuers on two helicopters, a plane and five ships had thoroughly examined the sea, isles and cliffs.
Chances to find the crew are scarce. Even if seamen could find a compartment with air, it is impossible to survive at such depth, rescuers believe.
The Langeland is 70 meters long and weighs 70 tons. It was on its way to Moss in southern Norway, carrying insulation material when it went down.
STOCKHOLM, August 2 (Itar-Tass) - Swedish coastal guards have identified the sunken Norwegian ship with a Russian-Ukrainian crew on board. The remote-controlled camera of submersible robot sunken to the Baltic Sea floor at the site where the ship was believed to have sunk, screened its name, Langeland, one hour later.
Work has been suspended, as there is a risk that the robot may get stuck in ship’s masts, a representative of the coastal guards said in a televised interview. Meanwhile, rescuers have found no trace of six seamen – four Russians and two Ukrainian nationals.
The ship wrecked on Friday amid high seas. The search for the crew was stopped after rescuers on two helicopters, a plane and five ships had thoroughly examined the sea, isles and cliffs.
Chances to find the crew are scarce. Even if seamen could find a compartment with air, it is impossible to survive at such depth, rescuers believe.
The Langeland is 70 meters long and weighs 70 tons. It was on its way to Moss in southern Norway, carrying insulation material when it went down.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Tanker oil spill spreads, threatens southern Norway
Posted on : 2009-08-01 Author : DPA News Category : Nature
Oslo - An oil spill threatening southern Norway spread overnight Saturday as coastguard-led teams raced against time to set up floating oil barricades to protect beaches and seabird colonies. The spill began spreading Friday after the Panama-registered freighter Full City with a crew of 23 Chinese seamen suffered engine failure and ran aground in stormy conditions in the Skagerrak sound.
The vessel was carrying 1,100 tons of oil. Regional authorities in the southern province of Telemark said diesel spilling from the 167- metre-long Full City was threatening the southern Norwegian coast area near the town of Larvik near the entrance to the Oslo Fjord.
Conservationists criticised what they called the failure by authorities to act fast enough in setting up barriers, but the coastguard said priority had to be given to saving the ship's crew, while weather conditions had been very difficult.
Print Source :http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/279849,tanker-oil-spill-spreads-threatens-southern-norway.html © 2009 earthtimes.org. All Rights Reserved.
Oslo - An oil spill threatening southern Norway spread overnight Saturday as coastguard-led teams raced against time to set up floating oil barricades to protect beaches and seabird colonies. The spill began spreading Friday after the Panama-registered freighter Full City with a crew of 23 Chinese seamen suffered engine failure and ran aground in stormy conditions in the Skagerrak sound.
The vessel was carrying 1,100 tons of oil. Regional authorities in the southern province of Telemark said diesel spilling from the 167- metre-long Full City was threatening the southern Norwegian coast area near the town of Larvik near the entrance to the Oslo Fjord.
Conservationists criticised what they called the failure by authorities to act fast enough in setting up barriers, but the coastguard said priority had to be given to saving the ship's crew, while weather conditions had been very difficult.
Print Source :http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/279849,tanker-oil-spill-spreads-threatens-southern-norway.html © 2009 earthtimes.org. All Rights Reserved.
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