Four Ships Stranded and Oil Tanker Aground Due to Turbulent UAE Waters

Over the weekend, a mixture of rough seas, high waves and heavy winds have left four ships stranded and an empty oil tanker aground in UAE waters. The coast guard in the area struggled to rescue each vessel’s crew, while the extreme weather conditions were hindering their efforts.

The reported 8-meter high waves forced the oil tanker aground near Sharjah’s Hamriyah port. The Dredger II hit the breakwater of the port, where the waves then pushed it on top of the breakwater. The two Asian crewmembers onboard survived and were rescued by the coast guard. Officials report that the crewmen are in good condition and are waiting to return home.

If the tanker falls from the breakwater it will drop onto another oil tanker, Lady Moon, which sank in late January in similar weather conditions. These vessels pose a threat to the outer seawall off Al Hamriyah port, according to UAE port officials.

Coast guard teams have also rescued the crews from the other four stranded ships. The crewmen from one vessel jumped into the sea, believing that their vessel was going to sink. They received minor injuries and are currently being treated at a local hospital. A Gulf News report also states that another ship, after struggling to sail through the rough seas, dropped anchor several hundred meters off Hamriyah port. The crew of the ship is seeking help to reach the port, but rough sea conditions have made the rescue operations more difficult than intended.

Currently, officials are working on removing the oil tanker from the sea. The Coast Guard and Himrayah port controllers handled the situations to successfully prevent any casualties. Two more ships that also drifted offshore were successfully transported back to the port.