U.K. Assisting Listing Russian Ship

The U.K. Coastguard is assisting the Russian flagged cargo ship Mekhanik Yarsdev just outside Portsmouth Harbour. The listing vessel will be taken to a berth in Southampton Harbor.   
 
The weather forecast is poor with severe gales and rough seas expected.

The 13 crew on board are reported to be safe, and the vessel has power. As a precautionary measure she will be assisted by a pilot vessel, two tugs and escorted by an RNLI All Weather Lifeboat until she’s safely alongside.  

Once berthed a surveyor will inspect the vessel’s stability and cargo. 

The 2,500-ton Mekhanik Yartsev was sailing from Riga, Latvia, to Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland. 

The incident comes almost three years after the Hoegh Osaka was deliberately beached in the Solent after it began listing on departure from Southampton port.