SEA BUFFALO

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Tug detained by MCA inspectors over dangerous flaws

A TUG that was due to tow one of the Royal Navy’s former frigates from Portsmouth has been detained and deemed ‘dangerously unsafe’ by the coastguard. HIBERNIA arrived in Portsmouth Harbour last week to tow Type 22 frigate CORNWALL to a scrapyard in Swansea. But on arrival, inspectors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) found she was unsafe for the towing operation. The tug’s owners, Kent-based GPS Marine, say they have sacked the ship’s Russian crew and are planning to send the vessel to her home port for repairs.

Barge towed off Harwich capsized

A barge capsized off the Harwich coast spilling its 20,000 tonnes cargo overboard. The "Hibernia" radioed Thames Coastguard for help at 2 a.m. on Oct 7, 2012, after a 122 metre long barge it was towing had capsized. The barge’s cargo of granite blocks fell into the sea. The Coastguard Duty Counter Pollution and Salvage Officer were monitoring the situation. The "Hibernia" was awaiting a survey vessel.

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on Oct 30, 2010, around 6 p.m. the Dutch rescue boat "Jeanine Parqui" was called by the "Hibernia" which was situated north of the Northern pier of Hoek van Holland, and first only the need of a medevac was known. But on scene the boat crew found out that a fire had broken out aboard the tug, and one man was suffering from smoke inhalation. Ambulance and fire rescue were also gathering at the boat's berth and taken out to the tug. The intoxicated man was transported to the Berg harbour by 7 p.m. and transpred to hospital. The fire meanwhile was extinguished and found to have been caused by a brokem hydraulic pipe. A crew of 6 of the fire rescue was transported to the "Hibernia" to ensure the fire was out. At 8 p.m. the operation was finished.