The 'Dali' had electrical problems the day before it left the Port of Baltimore when it was docked, according to a preliminary report released on May 14 by investigators at the National Transportation Safety Board. The 'Dali' experienced a blackout during in-port maintenance on March 25, the NTSB wrote in its report, when a crew member mistakenly closed an inline engine exhaust damper. The NTSB says it's still not clear how that incident relates to what happened early the following morning, when the 'Dali' lost power twice in the minutes before it crashed into one of the bridge's supports. The NTSB is still investigating the electrical configuration following the first in-port blackout and potential impacts on the events during the accident voyage. Investigators at the NTSB have analyzed samples of the fuel that was being burned at the time of the accident, as well as other fuel tanks on the vessel. But those results did not identify any concerns relating to the quality of the fuel. The NTSB is working with the Maryland Transportation Authority to assess its other bridges and to determine whether pier protection measures need to be improved. The MDTA is studying options for upgrades to the existing protection system around both spans of the Bay Bridge that connect Annapolis to the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The NTSB investigation of all aspects of the accident is ongoing.
News
SKY PRINCESS
On May 14, 2024, a passenger of the 'Sky Princess', en route from Marseille to Gibraltar, needed to be medevaced 44 kilometers southeast of Alicante. The man had to be disembarked due to a heart attack. The CCS Valencia of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the SAR helicopter Helimer 203, which hoisted the patient and took him and his wife to the Alicante airport.
GALAXY LEADER
The crew of the 'Galaxy Leader' expressed their hope for an early return to their families, when a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited the vessel on May 12 near the port city of Hodeidah. It was the first time that the organization did so, after the vessel was hijacked by the Houthi group. The delegation has met all 25 detainees to check on their condition and listen to their concerns. The crew consists of different nationalities, including Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Mexican and Filipino nationals. The Houthi group, also known as Ansar Allah, claimed that the crew have regular communication with their families. The Houthi group warned they will not be released until Israel's war on Gaza stops and permanent ceasefire is reached with Hamas.
RIDENS
Onm May 13, the CROSS Gris-Nez was informed that several migrant boats were in difficulty in the Strait of Pas-de-Calais. On the early morning, the CROSS Gris-Nez deployed the 'Abeille Normandie' to assist, which launched its rescue boat to reach the site and recovered 21 people. Several people still present on board the troubled boat refused the assistance offered by French means and continued their journey under appropriate surveillance. The shipwrecked people were dropped off at the port of Dunkirk. At the same time, the CROSS Gris-Nez engaged the 'Ridens', which also launched its rescue boat and recovered 28 people. Several people still present on board the boat refused the assistance offered by French means and continued their journey under appropriate surveillance. The shipwrecked people were dropped off at the port of Calais. All castaways were taken care of by the shore based rescue services and the border police.
DALI
On May 7, Unified Command salvage teams discovered the sixth and final victim who died in the 'Dali' accident, José Mynor López, 38. Maryland State Police investigators along with officers from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police and the FBI responded to the scene and recovered the body of the sixth construction worker. According to the release, Maryland State Police investigators, an FBI Victim Specialist, a linguist and a team of mental health professionals notified López's family after a positive identification was confirmed. Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland Department of State Police, said: “With heavy hearts, today marks a significant milestone in our recovery efforts and providing closure to the loved ones of the six workers who lost their lives in this tragic event. As we mourn with the families, we honor the memory of José Mynor López, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella, and Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez.”
COMMANDANT CHARCOT
the helicopter team of the Icelandic Coast Guard received a call of the ''Commandant Charcot' on the early morning of May 14, 2024, due to the acute illness of a passenger of the cruise ship, which was located on the east coast of Greenland. The crew of the TF-EIR helicopter flew a long distance from Reykjavík and about 130 nautical miles north of Horn. The man was hoisted on board in good condition and flown to Ísafjörður to refuel. From there, the helicopter flew straight to Reykjavik, and the patient was transported to the National Hospital. Report with video: https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/2024/05/14/video_picked_up_a_sick_passenger_from_a_cruise_ship/
ABDULLAH
After the 'Abdullah has finally arrived in Kutubdia on May 13 at 6.40 p.m., the 23 sailors on board have returned to their relatives. On May 14, a lighter ship was brought to the KSRM Lighter Jetty Sadarghat. From here they returned to their respective homes. They have already spoken to their relatives who came to the jetty with flowers to welcome the sailors. Report with photo: https://www.rtvonline.com/english/bangladesh/14396
USNS ALAN SHEPARD
The USNS 'Alan Shephard', which ran aground in Bahrain on July 15, 2023, ran aground while the master briefly stepped away for dinner, a summary of a service investigation revealed. The Military Sealift Command vessel was on its way for repairs ahead of sea trials when it got stuck near Khalifa Bin Salman Port, according to the report, which a spokesperson from Naval Forces Central Command shared with Military Times on May 8, 2024. The investigation, which wrapped up in August 2023, found that within roughly 20 minutes of the ship’s master leaving to eat, a loss of situational awareness and poor procedural compliance led to the grounding. With a crew composed of civilian mariners licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard, the vessel continued its transit from a repair yard to the Bahraini port after the ship’s master left the bridge for a meal, leaving another officer at the helm. But just minutes later, in order to avoid hitting a fishing vessel, that junior officer turned the ship into a shoal, grounding it on the soft bottom. The officer “was not cognizant of the ship’s position in relation to the shoals and shallow water while he was maneuvering the vessel to avoid the contact,” the report noted. The master’s failure to be present on the bridge, as required, whenever the ship is operating in restricted waters also played a role in the incident. The ship was refloated on the morning of July 16 with assistance of Bahraini tugs and the rising tide. No injuries were reported, and there was no operational impact. A diver inspection and American Bureau of Shipping evaluation revealed only minor scratches to the paint on the hull of the ship, and no other damage.
AR MILINO
A fisherman went over board when the 'Ar Milino' was hauling in the nets approximately 10 nautical miles northwest of Perros-Guirec early on May 14, 2024. An SAR operation was launched at 1:30 a.m. The CROSS Corsen immediately mobilized significant, involving an H160 helicopter of the French Navy and a Dragon 29 of civil security, two SNSM lifeboats, a customs launch and eight fishing vessels. As of 9:40 a.m., the fisherman had not yet been found.
ABEILLE NORMANDIE
Onm May 13, the CROSS Gris-Nez was informed that several migrant boats were in difficulty in the Strait of Pas-de-Calais. On the early morning, the CROSS Gris-Nez deployed the 'Abeille Normandie' to assist, which launched its rescue boat to reach the site and recovered 21 people. Several people still present on board the troubled boat refused the assistance offered by French means and continued their journey under appropriate surveillance. The shipwrecked people were dropped off at the port of Dunkirk. At the same time, the CROSS Gris-Nez engaged the 'Ridens', which also launched its rescue boat and recovered 28 people. Several people still present on board the boat refused the assistance offered by French means and continued their journey under appropriate surveillance. The shipwrecked people were dropped off at the port of Calais. All castaways were taken care of by the shore based rescue services and the border police.
MJ PINAR
On the early morning of May 13, 2024, the 'MJ Pinar', en route from Aviles to Ravenna, requested the medevac of a crew member north of Burela. The CCS Fisterra of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the Helimer 401 helicopter, which hoisted the patient and transported him to Alvedro (A Coruña).
SALVAMAR LYRA
The CROSS La Garde reported the French yacht 'Arvi' with rudder problems in the Gulf of Roses. The CCS Barcelona mobilized the 'Salvamar Lyra', which took the ship in tow and safely pulled it to Roses at low speed due to the weather conditions and the rudder problem.
GEO BARENTS
On the morning of May 13, the 'Geo Barents' has rescued 43 migrants, who were adrift in a wooden boat in the waters of the central Mediterranean while fleeing from Libya. The Italian authorities, within their policy of assigning ports distant from humanitarian vessels, forced the ship to disembark the castaways in the port of Civitavecchia, about a thousand kilometers from the place where the rescue took place, with an ETA as of May 16. The 'Geo Barents' was blocked a month ago in the port of Marina de Carrara for 20 days despite a Civil Court in Calabria lifting an administrative blockade suffered by the ship.
LASCAUX
The 'Lascaux' has rescued the two crew members of the 15,75-m-sailing yacht "Alborán Cognac" on May 12, 2024, en route from Gibraltar to Banco del Hoyo. The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 519 charter yacht had been struck by orcas at around 9 a.m., about 26 kilometers off Cape Spartel at the southern entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, The rudder blade and the hull was damaged. When water entered the boat, the sailors made an emergency call. Salvamento Marítimo urged the crew to put on their life jackets and activate the AIS, as well as have the radio beacons ready in case of need for location. A helicopter took off from Spain, and the tanker, which was sailing nearby, was asked to divert to the stricken ship. One hour after the emergency call, the shipwrecked people were safely taken on board by the tanker and dropped off in Gibraltar at 10.30 a.m. The yacht sank while it was being towed by a Moroccan patrol boat towards the port.
DALI
Explosive charges were detonated on the afternoon of May 13 to bring down sections of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge resting on the 'Dali', with officials now hopeful that they will be able to remove the vessel later this week. The detonation went as planned. Next, crews will assess the remaining bridge pieces on the ship’s bow ande then ensure anything underwater may not be preventing the ship from being floated and moved out of the area. After a resurvey of the channel as well as surveys around the 'Dali' to make sure there are no obstructions that come from that precision cutting that would interfere with traffic, the US Coast Guard will reopen the limited-access channel to traffic. After necessary assessments and surveys, the plan was to remove ballast to make the ship buoyant on its own and then use four tugs to pull it out into the channel and escort it to a nearby pier. Additional wreckage and containers will be removed from the 'Dali' at the pier and the ship will undergo necessary, temporary repairs before more permanent ones can be made. Report and video: https://splash247.com/baltimore-officials-confident-of-removing-stricken-dali-this-week/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_a0XSfc1AE&t=118s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP2tXgp4q-8&t=1543s