The 110 meter long self-propelled barge Goudvis 2 caught fire on the Outer Maas near Barendrecht, Netherlands. The fire started in the vessel’s engine room which disabled the Goudvis 2. The barge drifted until it ran aground off Koedoodse. The crew requested assistance with another barge, fire boat and KNRM lifeboat arriving on scene. Local firefighters were transferred onto the Goudvis 2 and the fire was extinguished within an hour. No reports of injuries or pollution released.
On November 19, the cargo vessel Antakya ran aground in the Dardanelles off Nara, Turkey. The Antakya was headed to Yalova from Marmara Ereglisi with 2500 tons of cement when it suffered rudder failure. Unable to steer, the Antakya ran aground. Two tugs were dispatched and the Antakya was pulled freed a short time later. The Antakya was towed to a nearby anchorage. No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released.
On November 18, the 142 meter long passenger cruise ship Le Boréal became disabled while en route to South Georgia from Ushuaia, Argentina on a 15 day cruise in the South Atlantic Ocean and Antarctica. The Le Boréal had suffered an engine room fire while off the Falkland Islands. The crew was able to extinguish the blaze, but the cruise ship had sustained significant damage resulting with a total loss of all power. Adrift, the Le Boréal was being driven towards Cape Dolphin, East Falkland by a strong northwesterly gale. With no possibility of restoring power and a risk of going aground, the Le Boréal sent out a distress call and ordered everyone on board to abandon ship.
Authorities on the Falklands Islands received the call and with British Forces dispatched helicopters and vessels to the scene. When rescuers arrived on scene, they found multiple life rafts from the Le Boréal with over 200 persons while a small number still on the deck of the cruise ship. Rescue helicopters lifted 79 off the deck while the HMS Clyde rescued over 200 people from the life rafts.
Authorities later reported that all passengers and crew had been accounted and were safely taken to the Falklands. Two tugs were dispatched and was able to keep the Le Boréal from going aground. Reports state the tug and salvage crews were to assess the condition of the Le Boréal. No reports of injuries or pollution released.
