Philippine Cargo Ship Runs Aground Off Dutch Coast

Another cargo ship – the 500-foot Philippine-registered Aztec Maiden – has run aground off the Dutch coast, just west of Amsterdam. The freighter, with a crew of 21, apparently had an anchor slip during an overnight storm.

The now empty vessel was in stable condition after drifting towards the coast and there was no sign of any fuel leaks, according to the rescue authorities. Work to pull the ship free is set to begin within one day. No injuries were reported in this incident. After drifting, the ship has become settled on sand a short distance offshore. The Dutch coast guard is monitoring the situation extremely closely, and is surveying the ship from the air to evaluate any damage.

Salvers, Svitzer, are in high hopes of having the ship moving again during high tide with the assistance of tugboats. They have successfully landed crew aboard the stranded ship via helicopter. However, weather conditions have blocked any of their recent attempts.

Locals are expressing concern over the possibility of an oil spill in their waters.