The 183 meter long, 48580 dwt tanker Seafrontier collided with the 225 meter long, 75492 dwt bulk carrier Huayang Endeavour in the English Channel near Dover, England. The Huayang Endeavour struck the loaded Seafrontier near the stern. The tanker sustained a hull breach above the waterline and damage to multiple levels to its superstructure. The Huayang Endeavour also sustained damage to it’s bow section. No reports of injuries on either vessel and no reports of pollution released.
The tug Abeille Languedoc was dispatched from Boulogne and took the Seafrontier under tow. The Huayang Endeavour dropped anchor in the channel between the shipping lanes for a period, but later proceeded on to Dunkerque. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) in Dover dispatched two patrol boats and two helicopters to conduct an assessment. An investigation of the incident has been launched.
The multi-deck passenger ship El Almirante sank on the Peñol-Guatapé Reservoir near Guatapé, Antioquia, Colombia. Just after the El Almirante departed from the pier between 130 to 170 passengers, there was a loud bang below decks right before the vessel began to sink. One account states the passengers were ordered to one side of the vessel then another before directing them to the forward section as the vessel sank. Passengers on the lower decks were ordered to break the glass and jump into the water. Another account states some passengers on the lower decks were blocked by other passengers on the higher decks. A survivor stated he had to wait until the vessel sank before he could reach safety of the upper decks.
All accounts state the El Almirante sank in less than 15 minutes trapping multiple persons on the lower decks. Several small boats nearby witnessed the sinking and rushed to the scene. Pulling people from the water, they saved nearly 100 people.
Initial reports state some 99 people had been rescued, but 9 persons had perished. Some 28 persons were reported missing while 24 had been taken to hospital due to injuries.
A report states that the El Almirante did not carry enough life preservers for all 170 passengers on board at the time of the incident. It concluded that several more passengers may have been saved as many had been able to escape the sinking vessel, but could not swim and drowned. Authorities have dispatched a group of divers to the scene to search the vessel for any missing persons.
Photo: Minuto30.com
Photo: Minuto30.com
Photo: Minuto30.com
Photo: elcolombiano.com
Photo: elcolombiano.com
Photo: elcolombiano.com
The cause of the water ingress is not yet known. Reports state the vessel had been in two previous incidents, one near a place called Fantasy Island and another off Malecón. One survivor stated the vessel was overloaded and in poor condition. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
The 80 meter long self-propelled tanker barge Bernhard Burmester collided with the 95 meter long self-propelled tanker barge Dettmer Tank 81 on the Elbe Side Canal near Bad Bodenteich, Germany. The two barges collided head-on with enough force that they became entangled. It required a few hours for authorities to separate the two barges The Bernhard Burmester had sustained severe hull damage to the bow resulting in water ingress. The Dettmer Tank 81 sustained only minor damage. No reports of injuries and no pollution was released.
Photo: ndr.de
Photo: braunschweiger-zeitung.de
Both vessels were later secured along the canal bank. The Bernhard Burmester partially sank at the bow, but there was no worry of pollution released as the tank hold remains intact. The water police has launched an investigation into the incident. Damage to the Bernhard Burmester is reported to be over 100.000 €.
