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The 'Hebrides', serving on the route Uig-Tarbert, suffered a technical issue with the starboard main engine on June 1. Engineers were to carry out a repair on the arrival in Uig. s a result of this, the 7:55p.m.departure from the port was delayed. The ferry finally departed Uig at 8.30 p.m., 35 mins late. with an ETA at Tarbert as of 10.10 p.m. On June 2. due to the technical issue with the starboard main engine, the service had to be suspended with engineers again working on resolving the issue. After repairs have been successful, the vessel operated a delayed 09:50 sailing from Uig at 4:30 p.m.

On Sep 24, 2023, the Rosslare RNLI volunteers were mobilised at around 11.30 p.m. to the 'Castlemore', which had grounded off Wexford with two crew on board. They unsuccessfully tried to fire a towline towards the trawler to pull it back into open waters, but with conditions extremely choppy and only two crew aboard, it proved too difficult. At that point, the wind also posed too much of a danger to try to winch the two sailors on board a rescue helicopter. At around 3 a.m. the Irish Navy vessel 'LÉ William Butler Yeats' arrived on scene and kept a close eye on proceedings. Having circled for hours, the Rescue 117 was forced to return to base in Waterford to refuel around half an hour later, but by 4.30 a.m. they were back on scene. By this time, the wind had subsided somewhat and the helicopter crew was able to successfully winch the sailors,. Both the lifeboat and the rescue helicopter left the scene shortly after 6 a.m., while the 'LÉ William Butler Yeats' remained off the Wexford coast overnight. Reports with photos: https://www.sundayworld.com/crime/cocaine-bust-trawler-remains-wedged-on-sandbank-off-wexford-coast/a295844397.html https://www.sundayworld.com/crime/irish-crime/salvage-vessels-arrive-in-bid-to-retrieve-stranded-second-suspected-cocaine-trawler/a1212351453.html https://www.thesun.ie/news/11411181/drugs-trawler-spacex-tech-cocaine-mothership-wexford/ https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41234347.html

More than one week after the 'MSC Elsa 3' sank approximately 70 km off the Kerala coast, between Vizhinjam and Kochi, a coastal pollution assessment has commenced along Tamil Nadu’s southern shoreline. The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has deployed a team in Kanyakumari to collect seawater and beach sediment samples. The study aims to determine whether the spill has impacted Tamil Nadu’s marine and coastal ecosystems as a recurring survey. The NCCR team began sample collection from Kanyakumari and may extend up to Kudankulam. The findings will help create baseline data to understand if the incident has affected the coast. The results will supplement the Tamil Nadu government’s ongoing environmental monitoring efforts. The data from this study will be compared with historical datasets collected under NCCR’s Seawater Quality Monitoring Programme. The programme monitors physical, chemical, and biological parameters at 50 coastal locations across India, including seven along the Tamil Nadu coast.

Several men hired by an international organised crime group in Dubai to crew the bulk carrier 'Matthew' (IMOI: 9228150) were under financial pressure and succumbed to the temptation to earn thousands, the Special Criminal Court in Dublin has heard. Eight men admitted their roles in trying to smuggle cocaine worth over 157 million euros. The Irish Army Ranger Wing has been praised in court for putting their lives at risk when they boarded the vessel in severe weather conditions while the crew attempted to steer the ship to high seas. Six of the men arrested on board the 'Matthew' had ignored repeated warnings from the patrol vessel 'LE William Butler Yeats '. Two other men were rescued from a boat that was bought in Castletownbere, which had been purchased to collect drugs from the main vessel. The Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk and Vitaliy Vlasoi, both 32; Iranians Soheil Jelveh and Saeid Hassani, 39; Filipino Harold Estoesta, 31, and Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, 49, all pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply on board the 'Mathew' betweenSep 24 and 26, 2023. Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa, aged 62, with an address at Rudenka, Repina Str in Berdyansk, pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply between Sep 21 and 25. Jamie Harbron, aged 31, of South Avenue, Billingham in the UK, also pleaded guilty that on a date between Sep 21 and 25, both dates inclusive, he attempted to have cocaine in his possession for the purpose of sale or supply, an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Colman Cody SC, counsel for Lapa, told the sentence hearing that his client was not aware of the full scale of the operation and did not fully understand it or the structures of the criminal organisation. The married father-of-two was told he would be paid 5,000 euros for his involvement in the operation. Lapa had been in the merchant navy and had previously worked on fishing boats. He had recently retired and was a pensioner in Ukraine. The Detective Superintendent Keith Halley agreed that Lapa was at the lower end of the structure. Estoesta was the second officer on board the vessel, who said he had met some of the crew in Venezuela. The court heard how some members of the hired crew were distracted at night while those from the criminal enterprise had loaded some of the cargo containing drugs on to the vessel. They claimed that they had been entertained with alcohol while the so-called spare parts were being transferred onto the ship. Estoesta admitted he was concerned it was more than spare parts, as he saw armed men on the other ship, which was offloading the large cargo. He said he didn't argue as he was terrified and was alone in the ocean. He thought the cargo may have contained contraband, like weapons or cigarettes. His barrister, Michael Hourigan, said that he had a genuine fear of the consequences if he did not follow orders. Vlasoi, a 33-year-old sailor, became involved in the operation after he was contacted when he posted his sailing credentials online. The court heard that he is married with a five-year-old child, who is now living in Ireland with the accused's mother. Paul O'Higgins SC for Vlasoi told the court that his client's realisation of the situation came too late when he discovered that the enterprise was being run at a higher level by people not on the ship. He told gardai that there were outside forces in control. He was told he would be paid 5,000 euros for his part in the operation. Mr O'Higgins said that his client found himself in a vulnerable financial position as he tried to provide for his family during the war in Ukraine. Hassani, the 3ird officer of the bulk carrier, qualified from maritime college in 2009 and had been at sea constantly for over a decade. Mark Lyam SC, for the 40-year-old, told the court he is married with a six-year-old daughter, and that he had financial responsibility to provide for his family, including medical care. Mr Lyam said he succumbed to temptation because of that financial pressure and wanting to spend more time with his family. The court was also told that he sent a text to someone in Dubai thanking them for the opportunity. Hassani, who was airlifted from the boat, was described as being the lowest rank in terms of officers. Meanwhile, Michael O'Higgins SC, counsel for Harbron, described his client as a drug abuser who was induced into the operation to clear a drug debt. Described as being a last-minute entry into the enterprise, he was offered a 10,000 euro reduction on his drug debt of 20,000 euros. The court heard how Harbron, who was on board the second ship, the 'Castlemore', had no sailing experience, was not able to operate the radio and was not able to locate the life vest on board. Mr O'Higgins said he had no role in organising, financing or giving directions. Harbron suspected the cargo on board the 'Matthew' was drugs, but he said he was shocked when he saw the size of it. Brendan Grehan SC, counsel for Dutch national Ozgen, admitted to having loaded three crates of drugs onto the vessel and also played a part in trying to burn drugs by getting paint thinners. He said he expected to earn a bonus of between 50,000 euros and 100,000 euros. Mr Grehan said that Ozgen, who had no sailing experience, has a son with a serious health issue following an operation on a brain tumour, and it was partly the attraction in terms of getting involved in that he would get money to help (his son) out. He was involved in a misguided attempt to get money for his family. Keivon Sotoodeh, junior counsel for Jelveh, told the court that his client is a 51-year-old with two adult children. Mr Sotoodeh said Jelveh was simply following orders and accepts he got himself involved in this. The matter has been put back to July 4. The men have been remanded on the same terms and conditions. Report with photos: https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/crew-hired-cork-cocaine-ship-31791589

Fiji's Maritime Safety Authority has launched an investigation into the Goundar Shipping Ltd. following two incidents involving its vessels. On May 26, one vessel, the 'Lomaiviti Princess VII' ran aground in Ono-i-Lau, and it was towed back to shore by the 'Lomaiviti Princess XII', which also took on board the passengers.after villagers had stepped in to ferry stranded passengers to nearby islands using small boats. The company posted on social media about this incident, saying "GSL Management would like to sincerely thank the people of Ono-i-Lau for your tremendous support following the mishap. "We acknowledge and appreciate your assistance in ensuring the passengers were safely brought ashore.On June 2, the uncrewed 'Lomaiviti Princess II' capsized when it was being towed away from Narain Jetty in Suva by Fiji Ports. The vessel had been tied up at Narain Jetty since 2019. Regarding the sinking, the Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau said the matter was under investigation and a release would be issued after he receives an update on the matter. An boom to contain oil was laid out around the ship, and the wreck was monitored for any oil leaks.