On the morning of June 7, 2024, a migrant boat was in difficulty off the coast of Gravelines and was reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez. The 'VCSM Oyapock' had indicated that the migrant boat was in difficulty, off the coast of Gravelines. Once nearby, 14 people requested assistance. The 'VCSM Oyapock' of the gendarmerie rescued them before the boat resumed its journey with 55 people still on board. The other people on board the migrant boat refused the assistance offered. The 'VCSM Oyapock' then headed towards Dunkirk to drop off the 14 shipwrecked people. At the same time, the CROSS Gris Nez engaged the 'Abeille Normandie' to monitor the evolution of the situation on board the boat still underway. At the end of the day, the 55 people asked to be rescued while they were in the middle of the traffic separation system in Pas de Calais. The tug rescued the 55 people and dropped them off at the dock at the port of Boulogne at the start of the night.
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KM.DANDELION
On June 5, 2024, at 7.30 p.m. WIT the KM 'Dandelion'' allided with the Kroing Pier, East Babar District in the Southwest Maluku Regency, Maluku. The incident occurred when KM Dandelion was sailing from Tepa Pier to Kroing. The impat caused the pier pillar to crack and the pier body to shift slightly. Te KM 'Dandelion', which replaces the KM 'Sabuk Nusantara 60', operates the rute Moa, Luang, Tepa, Kroing, Marsela, Dawelor (MBD Regency) and the Saumlaki, Tanimbar Islands Regency routes. Report with photo: https://voi.id/berita/387629/km-dandelion-tabrak-dermaga-kroing-maluku-barat-daya#google_vignette
Rio de Janeiro
The Mexican tank m/v ’Irmã Dulce’, 72900 dwt (IMO: 9548691), which was under construction at Estalairo Maua in Rio de Janeiro, suffered water ingress in the engine room and aft peak in the night of May 4, 2020. The stern came to rest on bthe bottom at a water depth of four to five meters. The accident was apparently caused by a leaking valve. In the afternoon of May 5 divers managed to stabilize the ship. It was the second of a series of four for Transpetro and was launched in 2014. The order for all three ships still under construction was later canceled. The Panamax had currently been 95% completed. Report with photo: https://splash247.com/near-complete-brazilian-tanker-newbuild-sinks-at-pier/ .
Port Elizabeth
On May 2, 2020, at 08.50 a.m. the NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew and EC Government Health EMS were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority to respond to rendezvous with a bulk carrier approaching Port Elizabeth from Cape Town to attend to a 52 year old Iraqi crew member onboard the ship suffering an emergency medical condition, not Covid-19 related. The sea rescue craft 'Spirit of Toft' was launched accompanied by an EMS rescue paramedic and rendezvoused with the ship seven miles East of Cape Recife. The EMS rescue paramedic and an NSRI rescue swimmer were transferred onto the ship and the patient was found to be in a critical condition. The paramedic took over emergency medical treatment from the ships medical crew and the patient, secured into a stokes basket stretcher, was transferred onto the sea rescue craft and the EMS paramedic and NSRI medics continued with medical care onboard the sea rescue craft while the patient was brought to the NSRI Port Elizabeth sea rescue base and in the care of paramedics he was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance. Despite extensive efforts by hospital medical staff the patient passed away.
OYAPOCK
On the night of June 6, 2024, a migrant boat in difficulty located off the coast of Dunkirk was reported to the CROSS Gris Nez. The 'VCSM Oyapock' reported that the migrant boat was stopped in front of the beach, near the port of Dunkirk. Once nearby, a person on board the boat requested assistance as the engine was still broken. The 'VCSM Oyapock' picked up 25 people, before the engine was restarted. The other people on board the migrant boat refused the assistance offered. On the morning of June 7, 2024, a migrant boat was in difficulty off the coast of Gravelines and was reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez. The 'VCSM Oyapock' had indicated that the migrant boat was in difficulty, off the coast of Gravelines. Once nearby, 14 people requested assistance. The 'VCSM Oyapock' rescued them before the boat resumed its journey with 55 people still on board. The other people on board the migrant boat refused the assistance offered. The 'VCSM Oyapock' then headed towards Dunkirk to drop off the 14 shipwrecked people. At the same time, the CROSS Gris Nez engaged the 'Abeille Normandie' to monitor the evolution of the situation on board the boat still underway. At the end of the day, the 55 people asked to be rescued while they were in the middle of the traffic separation system in Pas de Calais. The tug rescued the 55 people and dropped them off at the dock at the port of Boulogne at the start of the night.
SALVAMAR MINTAKA
On June 8 the sailboat 'Aristote' issued the emergency notice PAN PAN. It had suffered a leak which was located in the propeller shaft while sailing within the port of Barcelona with three crew members on board. The CCS Barcelona of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the Civil Guard and the 'Salvamar Mintaka', which towed it to the Real Club Náutico.
Libreville
22 and 36 nautical miles Northwest of Libreville the latest acts of piracy occurred in positions 00° 30.50’N 009°06.21’E and 00° 55.24N 009° 08 09E and involved two fishing trawlers named 'amerger II' and 'Amerger VIIÄ – the first taking place 20 nautical miles off Libreville and the second 36 n.miles off Libreville. Both incidents involved a single speedboat described as a skiff powered by three engines and having 13 pirates on board. The pirates were reported as being English-speakers which gives rise to suspicions of them being of Nigerian origin, despite this being some distance from Nigeria. The boarding of each trawler resulted in three of the crew from each vessel being kidnapped. The nationalities of those kidnapped are reported as three Indonesian, two Senegalese, and one South Korean.
Durban
On May 3, 2020, at 10.15 a.m. the NSRI Durban launched the sea rescue craft 'Alick Rennie' to transport a ShipsMed doctor to a bulk carrier at the outer anchorage off-shore of the Port of Durban. The Port Health Authorities had arranged for the doctor to take sample swabs from a crewman onboard the ship, which is due to enter Port, for Covid-19 laboratory testing prior to the ship being granted permission to enter Port. Observing all Covid-19 Department of Health and Port Health Authority safety regulations and protocols on arrival at the ship the doctor was transferred onto the ship and sample swabs were collected from the crewman. The doctor returned to the sea rescue craft accompanied by the samples that he had collected and he was brought into Durban Port without incident. Port Health Authorities evaluated the samples to determine safe passage for the ship to enter Port. The operation completed at 11.40 a.m.
CLYDE S VANENKEVORT
The 'Clyde S. VanEnkevort' spilled an estimated 373 gallons of red dye diesel into the Lake Superior near the Northshore Mining Co. pellet plant in Silver Bay on May 29, 2024. The spill was contained to a small area that same day and cleanup was complete by June 4 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The investigation found the fuel release occurred during an internal tank transfer within the tug portion of the integrated tug and barge. Initial investigations found no signs of stressed vegetation or wildlife either. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency continued to closely monitor impacts to environment, wildlife, and marine life. The cleanup required vacuum trucks, containment booms, absorbent pads and skimmers, among other equipment. The work included safely separating the two vessels as well as containment, recovery, and cleanup of the spilled fuel. The tug and barge has since returned to service.
SALVAMAR AL NAIR
On June 8 two boats with 50 and 56 people on board, among them a pregnant woman and two more people with medical concerns, required assistance 16-20 nautical miles east of Arrecife. The CCS Las Palmas of Salvamento Marítimo diverted the 'Guardamar Concepción Arenal', which rescued them, and an ambulance was requested upon arrival in Arrecife. Before returning to the port, two other boats were sighted with about 50 people on board each. The 'Guardamar Concepción Arenal' was joined by the 'Salvamar Al-Nair', which rescued the occupants of the other two boats, since one had a leak. All migrants were in good condition and taken to Arrecife. After the fishing vessel 'Betania' had sighted a boat 40 nautical miles northeast of Arrecife, the CCS Las Palmas mobilized the 'Salvamar Al-Nair', which located the boat and rescues 54 people, among them one woman, all of Maghreb origin. They were transferred to Arrecife.
Port Elizabeth
On April 30, 2020, at 11.15 a.m. the NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew were alerted by TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) requesting assistance to evacuate a Filipino crew member of a bunkering tanker at anchorage off-shore of the Port of Port Elizabeth. The man required transportation to a dentist as soon as possible and considering the Covid-19 lockdown the Port Health Authorities advised the tasking of NSRI to carry out the operation, taking into consideration that NSRI are well prepared for all Covid-19 Department of Health protocols, regulations and precautions. At 1 p.m. the sea rescue craft 'JLT Rescuer' was launched and rendezvoused with the tanker thre miles off Port Elizabeth in calm seas. The patient was transferred onto the sea rescue craft and he was brought to shore and transported to a dentist appointment by the ships agent. At 3.30 p.m. the patient returned to the Port of Port Elizabeth and he boarded our sea rescue craft JLT Rescuer and we transported him back to the ship and returned to base without incident.
Grenaa
After the gas explosion aboard the Danish dredger vessel ‘Grete Fighter‘, 582 gt (IMO: 7944762), on April 23 in the port of Grenå,the Grenaa Shipyard has not yet received a report from the Labor Inspectorate on the cause of the accident which was thought to be be due to gas emissions or diesel fumes. However, the yard has already chosen to tighten security in several areas. On April 28, a joint meeting was held where staff and management discussed what they could do to be 100 percent sure the accident cannot recur. It was decided to buy a lot of technical equipment to prevent such an explosion in the future, and some new procedures for this type of work will be intrduced. The two survivors of the accident were in critical condition.