On November 14, the 167 meter long, 10600 dwt ro-ro vehicle carrier Viking Emerald ran aground on the Columbia River near Woodland, Washington. The Viking Emerald was headed upriver with a cargo of automobiles to Portland when it suffered a steering system failure and the bow became stuck on the river bottom. Four tugs were dispatched and were able to refloat the Viking Emerald a short time later. The tugs then towed the vessel to Portland. No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released. The Viking Emerald was to be inspected at Portland by authorities.
The 164 meter long, 12562 dwt vehicle carrier Asian Breeze ran aground in the Kiel Canal off Brunsbüttel, Germany. The car carrier had been caught by a strong wind gust and pushed against the jetty. The Asian Breeze finally struck bottom off the jetty. No reports of injuries or pollution released. A tug was dispatched and freed the vessel later the same day. The Asian Breeze was later to continue on its voyage to Zeebrugge.
The 148 meter long, 7787 dwt ro-ro vehicle carrier Baltic Ace collided with the 135 meter long, 8372 dwt container ship Corvus J in the North Sea off the coast of the Netherlands. The Corvus J struck the Baltic Ace in a snow storm with rough seas. The Baltic Ace quickly began to fill with water. The crew of 24 on board scrambled to abandon ship. The vessel sank in less than 15 minutes leaving no time for the crew to put on protective clothing. Thirteen crewmen were able to climb into the life rafts. These men were safely rescued by Coast Guard helicopters and rescue ships. The men were later taken to hospital for treatment. Unfortunately, five bodies were later recovered leaving six crewmen still missing. No reports of injuries to the 12 men on board the Corvus J. The Corvus J suffered damage to its bow, but was in no danger of sinking. The Corvus J proceeded to an anchorage in the Westerschelde while authorities investigate the incident. The Baltic Ace had some 1,400 Mitsubishi cars in its hold. The Corvus J was headed to Antwerp from Grangemouth, Scotland. Early reports state the cause of the collision was most likely from human error.
