La Rochelle - Shipwreck Log

The 35 meter long fishing vessel Calypso Z84 caught fire while fishing in the Bay of Biscay near La Rochelle, France. The fire started in an electrical panel in the engine room. The crew responded quickly and extinguished the blaze, but the fire damaged the trawler’s generator. The crew made some temporary repairs to restore power and allow the vessel to pull in its nets. No reports of injuries to the 5 crew on board. Authorities dispatched a team to the trawler who evaluated the Calypso Z84 condition. After the inspection, the trawler was found to be seaworthy enough to proceed on to its journey back to Belgium.

Modern Express

January 26, 2016 Paul Hancock

The 164 meter long, 10454 dwt ro-ro car carrier Modern Express became disabled in the Bay of Biscay while en route to Le Havre, France. The Modern Express was loaded with a cargo of vehicles and 3,700 tons of wood from Owendo, Gabon when it suffered a cargo shift. The shift caused the car carrier to develop a heavy starboard list of 40 degrees. The crew requested assistance and a helicopter was dispatched by Spanish authorities. All 22 crew on board the car carrier was air lifted to safety. A tug arrived on scene and was monitoring the situation. Reports state the owners of the Modern Express have arranged to have a salvage firm to assess the risks and evaluate salvage options while the vessel remains far off the coast.