The 129 meter long, 4504 dwt ro-ro ferry Commodore Clipper caught fire shortly after leaving Portsmouth, England. The ferry loaded with 220 passengers and 39 crew departed Portsmouth headed to Guernsey when a small fire was discovered near an auxiliary engine system. The crew was able to quickly extinguish the blaze. No reports of injuries, damage or pollution. The Commodore Clipper proceeded back to Portsmouth.
The 20 meter long tug Aquarius sank in the English Channel between Nord de l’Aber Wrac’h, Britanny and Cornwall, England. The crew sent out a distress call with both English and French Coast Guards responding. A helicopter was dispatched which able to rescue two crew from a liferaft. A third crewman was reported as missing. The Aquarius was en route to Plymouth from La Coruna, Spain.
Video of the rescue from bbc.co.uk
The 82 meter long, 1783 dwt freighter Carrier ran aground during a strong gale at Colwyn Bay near Liverpool, England. The Carrier was swept ashore in five meter swells. The crew requested assistance with the Coast Guard dispatching two helicopters to the scene. The helicopters were able to lift the seven crew safely.
The Carrier was loaded with stones from Belfast before going aground. Authorities have dispatched salvage and pollution experts to the site. The Carrier has some 40,000 liters of fuel on board. Initial surveys of the vessel found the hull has sustained several holes and some light diesel fuel was released into the water. The main fuel tanks still remain intact and authorities have arranged to have the remaining fuel pumped out from the vessel as soon as weather permits.
