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Grounded vessel starting to break up

The operations of pumping diesel on the wreck of the trawler "Essor" in Port-en-Bessin (Calvados) were successfully completed on March 1, 2018. On Feb 28 at 5 p.m. the oil pumping operations undertaken by CEPPOL and SMP have ended. The 2,000 liters of diesel contained in the tanks were extracted and stored in tanks supplied by the company commissioned by the marine surveyor to provide support for the clean-up operations. However, the trawler started to disintegrate at the foot of the cliffs four miles from Port-en-Bessin due to the inclement weather, so it became impossible to refloat the ship. In order to limit the danger to navigation, the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea has issued an Urgent Notice to Navigation (AVURNAV). On March 1 at 3 p.m. a dredger started to dismantle the wreck. French report with photo: https://www.lamanchelibre.fr/actualite-476587-calvados-le-chalutier-l-essor-commence-a-se-disloquer https://actu.fr/normandie/port-en-bessin-huppain_14515/le-chalutier-echoue-port-bessin-est-cours-demantelement_15745773.html https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/normandie/calvados/caen/port-bessin-perdu-ses-bateaux-1433761.html

CEPPOL team on site to drain the fuel

On Feb 27 a team of three people from the Center of Practical Expertise in Pollution Control (CEPPOL) in Brest went to the grounding site to assess the state of deterioration of the "Essor" in order to determine the risk of maritime pollution and requered anti-pollution response measures. A team from the Port Resources Service (SMP) of the Naval Base Cherbourg also arrived on site to provide its expertise. The maritime prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea has issued an Urgent Notice to Navigators (AVURNAV) determining a safety zone of 1000 meters around the wreck. On Feb 28, considering the risk of maritime pollution and the unfavorable weather conditions in the area, the teams of CEPPOL in liaison with the Maritime Operations Center (COM) of the maritime prefecture of Manche and North Sea, intended to start draining the 1.5 tons that had remained in the tanks by 1 p.m. The large-scale operation was conducted in a hurry. Four 1m³ vats were filled with very high suction pumps. Two floating tanks were ready. The arrival of the equipment took two hours and the recovery of the fuel ended before 5 p.m. Personnel from the SMP Naval Base Cherbourg also provided assistance or the clean-up work led by CEPPOL. At the same time, the maritime prefect notified the shipowner to take all the necessary measures to put an end to the environmental danger posed by his fishing vessel. Weather in area was north-east wind of 25 knots with gusts up to 35 knots and rough seas. Reports with photos and video: https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/normandie/calvados/chalutier-echoue-pres-port-bessin-fin-operations-depollution-1432235.html https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/caen-14000/calvados-l-essentiel-de-l-actu-chalutier-depollue-chevaux-evacues-5595011 https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/bayeux-14400/port-en-bessin-les-cuves-du-chalutier-echoue-ont-ete-videes-5594960 https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/bayeux-14400/port-en-bessin-le-chalutier-echoue-attend-d-etre-renfloue-5595035 https://www.lamanchelibre.fr/actualite-476183-calvados-une-operation-anti-pollution-menee-sur-le-chalutier-echoue

Dramatic rescue operation off Port-en-Bessin

On Feb 26, 2018, around 5:20 p.m. the crew of the "Essor - CN.517745", 29 gt, informed the CROSS Jobourg about a hydraulic failure off Port-en-Bessin. The CROSS then triggered the SNSM of Port-en-Bessin, whose intervention was prevented because of the difficult weather conditions with wind gusts of 55 km/h). The "Essor" with a crew of three on board, was drifting towards the coast. The CROSS Jobourg sent a PAN PAN emergency message asking for assistance and asked all the fishing vessels around to assist with towing to Port-en-Bessin. The vessel was taken in tow by another fishing vessel but the towing wire broke several times because of the bad weather. Given the situation, the SNSM boat of Port-en-Bessin headed to the area to support the vessels. At 7:40 p.m. a Dragon 50 helicopter of the Civil Security stationed in Granville was alerted by the CROSS to rescue the crew of the "Essor". Around 8 p.m., after the towing wire broke again, the "Essor" finally ran aground at the foot of the cliffs in front of the semaphore of Port-en-Bessin. The recovery of the crew by a fishing vessel and the SNSM boat was made impossible by the severe weather conditions in the area. At the same time, the SNSM boat from Port-en-Bessin also broke down when a rope fouled the propeller and one crew member suffered an open wound on the tibia, two fractured ribs and a rupture of the tendon of the forearm when the ship was tumbling in the waves. The fishing vessel "Océanonox " managed to tow the disabled SNSM-boat back to Port-en-Bessin so that the injured person could be taken in charge by the Fire and Rescue Service. The crew of the "Essor" was hoisted by the Dragon 50 and dropped off at the semaphore of Port-en-Bessin, where firefighters took charge of them at 8:30 p.m. The SNSM Ouisteham in vain tried to refloat the "Essor" in the morning of Feb 27. The weather was too bad. French reports with photos: http://www.paris-normandie.fr/breves/normandie/echouement-d-un-navire-de-peche-au-large-de-port-en-bessin-DD12337235 https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/port-en-bessin-huppain-14520/sauvetage-de-port-en-bessin-est-passes-deux-doigts-du-drame-5592359 https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/normandie/calvados/essor-perdu-eaux-tourmentees-manche-histoire-remorquage-impossible-1431057.html