On January 16, the 160 meter long, 8487 dwt training vessel Patriot State (IMO: 9910325) caught fire in the Caribbean Sea off Puerto Rico. The fire started with the vessel’s incinerator and was quickly extinguished by the vessel’s fixed water mist system. Reports state the crew and cadets responded to the incident without issue. There were no reports of injuries, damage or pollution released.
On the evening of January 12, a fishing vessel Silver Dorado caught fire in the South Atlantic Ocean 1 nautical mile offshore of Noordhoek, South Africa. The fire with discovered by the master of the Silver Dorado as the vessel was headed out for fishing. The other 20 crew were resting in their bunks and were awaken to vessel ablaze.
The fishing vessel sent out a distress call that the vessel had caught fire and that all 21 crew members on board were abandoning ship. South African authorities alerted vessels in the area to assist while the NSRI launched the rescue vessels Bay Guardian and Rescue 6 Alpha from Gqeberha.
The fishing vessel Leguga arrived on scene finding all the 21 crew members of the Silver Dorado in the water. The Leguga launched its own life-raft and assisted recovering 12 crew members from the water. Other fishing vessels arrived on scene. The fishing vessel Raka rescued 4 crew and the fishing vessel Maverick rescued 4 more. The fishing vessel Vulcan rescued 1 crew member. With all 21 crew members accounted for and safe, the crew were transferred to the NSRI vessels. All crew were taken ashore at Port Elizabeth. No reports of injuries.
The Silver Dorado was reported still on fire and adrift. The fishing vessel was last seen near Cape Recife.
On the morning of January 12, the United States Coast Guard reported a barge caught fire on the Mobile River near the Africatown Bridge, Mobile, Alabama. The barge was moored when a fire started in the cargo hold containing vehicle scrap metal. The fire quickly spread engulfing a large portion of the scrap metal. Reports state that river traffic was halted in the area near the barge while the Mobile fire department deployed fireboats to extinguish the blaze. The crew on board the barge were evacuated with no reports of injuries.
The United States Coast Guard was also on site and monitoring the situation. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
