The fishing vessel TS 97799 exploded and sunk in the South China Sea off Vung Tau, Vietnam. The vessel suffered the explosion in the galley from a cooking gas cylinder. Reports state only 4 of the 20 crew were later rescued. Authorities have launched a search and rescue operation for the remaining missing crew.
The 26 meter long, 260 gt fishing vessel Caledonian sank off Estevan Point near Tofino, British Columbia, Canada. The Caledonian’s four crew were hauling in a net when the fishing vessel began to list. The crew attempted to correct the list, but the dragger capsized and sank. When the Caledonian failed to report in, a search was launched involving three Canadian Coast Guard vessels and an aircraft. The search and rescue operation spotted two crewmen, but both had perished. A third crewman’s body was later found and recovered. The fourth crewman was spotted and rescued by a passing cruise ship MS Statendam which was en route to Victoria. Canadian authorities has launched an investigation into the incident.
The 40 meter long cargo vessel Zhe Pu 01833 ran aground near Taohua Dao, China. The Zhe Pu 01833 had suffered engine failure while en route to Zhoushan with 300 tonnes of cement. The cargo vessel and drifted on the reef breaching the hull. The vessel’s pumps were unable to control the flooding in the cargo hold and the Zhe Pu 01833 later sank. All 5 crew on board were able to abandon ship into the life raft and were later safely rescued by a Coast Guard vessel. The Zhe Pu 01833 was en route to Ningbo from Taizhou.