The 39 meter long, 340 gt passenger ship Polargirl went aground off Spitsbergen near Grumant, Norway. The Polargirl was on schedule voyage between Longyearbyen and Barentsburg with 28 passengers and 5 crew when it ran aground. The passengers were safely evacuated to shore and were returned to Longyearbyen by helicopter. No reports of injuries. Reports state the vessel did not suffer any water ingress and was in little risk of danger as weather conditions were good.
The wooden passenger/cargo ship Putri Ayu sank off the central area of Maluku Province, Indonesia. The vessel had left Slamet Riyadi during the night with building materials, food stuffs and 27 passengers and crew on board. As the Purti Ayu proceeded the weather deteriorated as strong winds and waves continue to batter the ship. Three hours after leaving port, the vessel was struck by a series of huge waves some reaching 5 meters high. The waves overwhelmed the passenger ship flooding the engine room causing the main engine to fail. Without power, the Putri Ayu quickly broke up sending passengers and crew into the water. The local authorities dispatched search and rescue craft to the area. Rescuers pulled 12 survivors from the water and continue to look for the remaining 15 people who were still missing. No vessel details were reported.
Authorities have revised the number of people on board the Putri Ayu to 70. Searchers are now looking for some 58 people still missing since the vessel capsized and sank. So far, no bodies have been recovered.
The 110 meter long passenger ship Gerard Schmitter caught fire while on the Rhine River near Krefeld, Germany. The vessel was attempting to berth at Krefeld when a malfunction started an electrical fire in the engine room. The burning wires sent out a strong acrid smoke cloud forcing all 154 passengers and 34 crew to evacuate the vessel. The local fire brigade arrived on scene and were able to extinguish the blaze in short time. One passenger had to be taken to hospital after suffering a breakdown while one crewman suffered a slight injury. The water police have launched an investigation. The passengers where taken to Krefeld and were allowed to reboard the vessel later that night. Repairs to the vessel will be completed on June 18th allowing the Gerard Schmitter to continue on its voyage from Amsterdam to Strasbourg. Reports state the damage is estimated at 50000 €.
