MSC Flaminia Update
Firefighting operations at the MSC FLAMINIA were resumed yesterday afternoon. Thanks to continuous cooling a further expansion of the fire could be prevented. It can be observed that superstructure, engine room, the stern section and the forecastle of the ship have all not been affected by the second explosion. According to the salvage captain the hull of the vessel is intact. Due to damaged cargo and extinguishing water a list of approximately 8-10 degrees has occurred. The second tugboat ANGLIAN SOVEREIGN is expected this evening. The third tugboat will reach the site of the incident on Saturday at noon. Salvage experts currently plan to board MSC FLAMINIA via the deployed emergency ladder and reactivate the firefighting systems. Experts estimate that the firefighting operations could take some weeks. Afterwards, MSC FLAMINIA is supposed to be towed to Europe for repairs.
The 18 crew and two passengers from the MSC FLAMINIA arrived safely at Falmouth, United Kingdom, onboard the oil tanker DS Crown late yesterday evening. They were rescued after a fire had broken out onboard MSC FLAMINIA on July 14, 2012. Crew and passengers were received by a team of Reederei NSB. They are unharmed and well given the circumstances. On completing all formalities and receiving aid and support during a rest period, they will spend the night at a hotel. They will begin repatriation, with the aim of rejoining their families as soon as possible. Reederei NSB would like to thank the captain and crew of DS Crown for the rescue and provision of aid to the crew and passengers of MSC FLAMINIA. During this dramatic rescue, they have shown extraordinary dedication and proven their excellent nautical skills.
On July18, 2012, the firefighting operations at MSC FLAMINIA, which had been started yesterday at 11.00 am lt, had to be aborted again during the last night, after a second explosion erupted in bay 47 of the vessel. To ensure the safety of the crew of the firefighting tugboat and of our second engineer onboard, the vessel had to assume a stand by position approximately one nautical mile off of the MSC FLAMINIA.
After the evaluation of the situation on site by our experts, the danger of continuing the firefighting operations was too high due to dangerous goods which are onboard.A team of firefighting experts and the emergency team of NSB are checking the further proceedings. The tugboat is supposed to resume the firefighting operations soon.The second firefighting tugboat ANGLIAN SOVEREIGN is expected to arrive on the site of the incident at midnight lt on July 19. In addition, a third tugboat was ordered to the site. Tugboat CARLO MAGNO is now on her way from Rotterdam to our MSC FLAMINIA. It is currently planned to hold MSC FLAMINIA’s position with one tugboat while the two others proceed with the firefighting operations.
