Video: Survey Ship Abandoned After Grounding off Italy
The Italian Coastguard is reporting that 11 people were successfully evacuated after the Dutch-owned survey ship Fugro Mercator grounded. Reports from the Italian media said the vessel suffered hull damage and was taking on water wedged below the Enfola promontory on the north coast of the island of Elba.
The captain of the 42-meter (138-foot) aluminum catamaran issued a mayday call at 2230 on March 22. The vessel was conducting a coastal mapping program for the Instituti Superiore in Italy when it experienced deteriorating weather conditions owner Fugro reports. The vessel was seeking shelter when it grounded.
La nave oceanografica FUGRO MERCATOR si è incagliata nella notte all'isola d'Elba. Equipaggio e personale scientifico (11 persone) sono stati tratti in salvo dalla #GuardiaCostiera di #Portoferraio. ? Nessun inquinamento in mare.? Recupero in fase di pianificazione. pic.twitter.com/c4xCMYfnyG
— Guardia Costiera (@guardiacostiera) March 23, 2025
Reporting indicates there were strong winds and rain at the time of the grounding. It is unclear if the vessel experienced any mechanical difficulties. It became wedged under on the rocky cliff with the media reporting it blacked out from the water ingress. The engines are reportedly damaged and the vessel settled on an angle against the rocky coast.
Guardia Costiera evacuated the crew and personnel that were aboard to shore. Daylight showed the precarious position the vessel ended up on the shore. Fugro reports a salvage operation is being prepared.
The vessel was built in 2003 and is registered in the Bahamas. It is used for a variety of geophysical and bathymetric surveys often for cabling or pipelines.