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Tag: Fishing vessel

Navigator

Navigator

Navigator
Photo: x.com

On the morning of July 16, the 48 foot long fishing vessel Navigator caught fire in the Monterey Bay off Pleasure Point near Capitola Beach, California. The Navigator had dropped anchor in the early morning and the 2 crew on board went asleep. The plan was to awake in the morning and fish for squid. Instead the crew woke up to a cabin filled with smoke. The vessel’s generator had malfunctioned starting a fire.

A nearby vessel alerted authorities of the vessel fire. The harbor patrol was first to arrive to assist in the fire fighting effort with the United States Coast Guard and the Monterey Fire Department assisting. Unfortunately, the fire quickly grew making it impossible to extinguish with the equipment on hand. The Navigator was evacuated and later taken under tow headed for Monterey. Before the fishing vessel reached the harbor, the vessel sank. Authorities are monitoring the area, but no oil pollution has been found at the site.

Reports state one of the harbor patrol staff had been injured from the incident. The person had suffered smoke exposure and taken to hospital for treatment.  Reports state the vessel will not be recovered as it is a total loss. One crew member stated the vessel may be rebuilt.

Grey Erron

Grey Erron

Grey Erron
Photo: Philippine Coast Guard

On the afternoon of July 13, the fishing vessel Grey Erron became disabled in the West Philippine Sea some 70 nautical miles west of Botolan, Zambales, Philippines. The Grey Erron had suffered a failure in the main engine and the fishing vessel went adrift. The crew sent out a distress call with the Philippine Coast Guard responding. The 97 meter long, 646 dwt  response vessel Teresa Magbanua (IMO: 9908669)  was dispatched to assist. The Teresa Magbanua would eventually reach the fishing vessel several hours later.  The responders would offer aid to a crew member while provide drinking water and medical supplies. An inspection of the engine found it could not be repaired and a service boat was requested. The service boat arrived the following morning.  No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released.

Teresa Magbanua

 

The Bikin Incident

The Bikin Incident

Bikin
Photo: vladivostok1.ru

On the morning of July 1, the 28.5 meter long, 161 dwt tugboat Bikin (IMO: 9402134) allided in the Sea of Japan with the 56 meter long, 594 dwt fishing vessel Solveiga (IMO: 85220173) at Nakhodka, Russia. The Bikin was proceeding at full speed in the port of Nakhodka and struck head on into the moored Solveiga.  The port side of the Solveiga was severely damaged with a large section of the hull stoved in above the waterline.  The Bikin then immediately proceeded to back away from the Solveiga and departed from the area. There were no reports of injuries and no pollution was released.

This unusual “hit and run” incident was caught on video and presented to Russian authorities. The prosecutor in Nakhodka has launched a criminal investigation into the incident. Initial reports state the master of the Bikin had lost consciousness while at the wheel and there were no one else in the pilothouse at the time of the incident. The master stated he was exhausted from work as he had been working over a month without a single day off.  However, Russian authorities did not disclose the reason for the tugboat to immediately turn and leave the scene after the allision.  Nor there was any explanation why the crew on the Bikin didn’t check to see if anyone had been injured by the allision.

A “hit and run” allision typically occurs in anchorages and rarely if ever in a harbor.  These incidents usually involve larger vessels who have failed to keep a proper watch and strike an other vessel at anchor.  Depending on the size of the vessel, there are many cases where large container ships, bulkers and tankers have struck smaller fishing vessels and were completely unaware the incident took place.  However, there are only a few examples of a tugboat striking a moored vessel then leaving the site with someone at command.