Maritime Casualties--February 4, 2010
Fishing Boat Hit by Cargo Ship and Pirates Release Bulker
• Fishing Boat Collides with Cargo Vessel
A Troon fishing boat off the west coast of Scotland was struck by a 2,900 tonne cargo vessel last Wednesday morning. According to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch's website, the investigation is in the Preliminary Examination stage.
After receiving a call from the fishing vessel Spes Bona V, Clyde Coastguard dispatched a lifeboat to the accident site. The fishing boat was east of Pladda off the south coast of Arran when the 88-metre, Bermuda-registered MS Leeswig collided with the shrimp trawler.
Spes Bona V was in the process of hauling in nets after fishing for prawns when the collision took place. The captain attempted to alter course to starboard and showed their lights to warn the tanker. Damage appeared to be above the water line and the 4 crew members were safe. Parts of the vessel which tow the nets was damaged and would take several days to repair.
A lifeboat escorted the fishing boat back to Troon harbor.
• Ransom Paid and Bulk Tanker Released
After a significant ransom was paid to pirates on Monday, a Greek-owned cargo ship was released after being held since November 10, 2009. Pirates attacked and seized the ship on it's way to South Africa loaded with fertilizer, 470 miles northeast of Seychelles.
The 23,709 dwt cargo ship MV Filitsawas sailing from Kuwait to Durban, South Africa when it was seized and then held near Hobyo. According to local reports, the pirates expected about a $3 million ransom for the ship and its crew of 22.
Two helicopters from a nearby warship were seen hovering over the hostage ship. Payment was later dropped by a plane to a group of pirates waiting to return to safe areas on the mainland. The last of the pirates were seen leaving at around 22:00 local time and the vessel was supposed to sail free.
More Maritime Casualty Headlines...
• 238-m cruise ship Oceanic, built 1965, suffered propulsion problem and collided with a buoy at her starboard bow while departing the Duncan toward the Table Bay on Jan. 29. The pilot and 3 tugs rushed to assist the vessel.
• 6,386-dwt passenger ferry New Breeze was in collision with 644-gt ferry Mehmet Resi 11 near Istanbul's Küçükçekmece on Jan. 29. Minor injuries to 2 people reported.
• 70-ft towing vessel Gentry B allided with the U.S. 41 Day Park Hightway Bridge at mile marker 786 on the Ohio River on Jan. 31. 1 injury reported. The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic for survey but subsequently reopened.
• Unidentified boat capsized in the Godavari river in West Godavari District of Anhra Pradesh on Jan. 30. At least 10 pilgrims were drowned and 30 others reported missing. Villagers reportedly rescued 40 people. The incident was attributed to overcrowding.
• M/V Al-Marjan, laden with charcoal, caught fire in Mogadishu seaport on Jan. 29. Limited available fire-fighting response made salvage and mitigation prospects grim.
• 169-m, 15,955-dwt British-flagged cargo M/V Barmbek (IMO 9313228), Gavle to Antwerp, suffered machine failure in the Kiel canal at Schacht-Audorf on Jan. 29. The vessel dropped anchor until power could be restored.
• 110-m, 208-TEU Dutch inland M/V Lahringen allided with the Loenerslootse bridge on the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal on Jan. 28. No injuries but significant damage to vessel reported.
• 118-m, 47,787-dwt Panama-flagged bulk carrier Dingxianghai (IMO 9209219) suffered machine failure off Utsira on Jan. 28. The vessel was under drift toward the coast within 8 miles; the Coast Guard dispatched 3 tugs to assist. The vessel was taken in to and anchored in the Åmøyfjord.
• 22.8-m, 95-gt German tug Weser (ex-Wolf, Bugsier 18), home port Bremen, sank in the Weser on Jan. 30.
• 32.14-m, 212-gt German ferry Vitte (ex-Amrum, IMO 6814726), servicing between Schaprode and Hiddensee with capacity for 480 passengers, suffered machine damage on Jan. 29. The vessel's sailings have been canceled pending repair.
• Cruise ship Carnival Miracle, with 2,178 passengers and 914 crew, collided with the pier at port Zante, St. Kitts, while berthing on Jan. 28. No injuries but hull damage reported.
• 4,041-gt cargo ship Rhea (IMO 8403894) ran aground in strong winds on El Rinconcillo beach near Algeciras, Spain, on Jan 27. The vessel was detained by maritime authorities in Algeciras. A port spokesman reported the vessel's master had turned down assistance from a salvage tug as the vessel drifted toward the shoreline.
• Tug Trojan, with approximately 500 gallons of oil on board, sank on the Big Sandy Beach River, Kentucky, at mile 7 on Jan. 28. The vessel is owned by Gate City River Transportation and was built in 1923; it had been out of service for approximately 1 year. Cleanup and salvage efforts are underway.
• 43-m, 787-gt Norwegian ferry Fjordkongen (IMO 9328998), Harstad to Tromsø with approximately 100 passengers, suffered collapsed gangway during passenger discharge at Tromsø on Jan. 28 at 1920LT. No injuries reported. The incident is under investigation.