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11 Rescued from Overturned Barge

Published Jun 20, 2013 9:49 AM by The Maritime Executive

Photo: Port Moresby, seen from the International Space Station.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has coordinated the rescue of 11 people near Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea following a distress broadcast early this morning. 

Tugboat Go Rigel has recovered all barge crewmembers from a liferaft about 80 nm northwest of Port Moresby. One person is reported to have sustained a non-life threatening injury. Papua New Guinea’s National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) has identified the barge as the Mundi Navigator, a PNG-flagged vessel.

The rescuing tug is contracted to supply the Stena Clyde oil drilling rig, operated by Australian company Oil Search - who dispatched two rescue vessels and a helicopter to aid authorities - in the Gulf of Papua.

AMSA received a shipping distress call and an emergency beacon activation at 3:30am on Thursday morning. Two planes and helicopter assisted in the rescue. 

The cause of the incident is not known. AMSA is working with Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Port Moresby to gather more information.