On the morning of December 23, a 50 foot fishing vessel Sea Dragon II ran aground in the Pacific Ocean at Ventura Beach, California. The Sea Dragon II with 3 crew members on board had run up unto the beach leaving the fishing vessel high and dry. Authorities arrived to the site and found all 3 crew were uninjured.
Reports state the cause of the grounding was due to the crew were asleep when fishing vessel ran ashore. No reports of damage or pollution released.
On the early morning of December 22, more than a dozen narrow barges were left high and dry on the Shropshire Union Canal Llangollen Branch near Whitchurch, England. The barges had been moored along the canal when part of the canal embankment failed causing an 50 meter by 50 meter sink hole to open up. Water in this section of the canal poured out pulling 2 narrowboats into the sinkhole. Several more barges were more fortunate and were left resting on the bottom of the canal. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported. Those who were living aboard the barges had heard strange noises and had evacuated their vessels beforehand.
Local authorities and firefighters arrived on scene and secured the location. Firefighters placed a flood gate to stem off the flow water from the compromised section of the canal.
List of some of the narrowboats impacted from the incident:
Reports state this portion of the canal embankment had been built over 200 years ago and had been recently been inspected. These canals limited barges to the be no longer than 72 feet long and 7 feet wide.
Reports state authorities plan to return water levels to normal either side of the breach. The narrowboats in the impacted area would be provided support. Damage to the vessels was not disclosed.
On December 20, the 225 meter long, 76,623 dwt bulk carrier Alfaisaliah (IMO: 9231274) ran aground in the Sea of Marmara in the Ahırkapı Anchorage Zone, Turkey. The Alfaisaliah was bound from Istanbul to Egypt when it grounded. Turkish authorities dispatched the 17 meter long search and rescue vessel KEGM-3 (MMSI: 271010031) along with the 38.5 meter long tugboat Kurtarma 9 (IMO: 9598581) and tugboat Kurtarma 21 (IMO: 1066946) to assist. Reports state a diver team was also dispatched to the scene.
No reports of injuries or pollution released. No further details reported.
