BELLATRIX

scrapped

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Beached

Beached at Aliaga 06.05.20

Cargo ship may have been used for weapon transport

The Italian Navy and Coast Guard assisted the 'Bellatrix'on April 8, which was possibly linked to the Turkish intervention in Libya. It had left Turkey at the end of January and on April 2 was near the Libyan coast, between Tripoli and Misrata. The crew made a distress call in the early morning hours approximately 180 miles off Sicily in the Italian rescue zone. The crew reported that a fire that had started in the engine room had become uncontrollable. The Guardia Costiera then launched a rescue operation by dispatching maritime and air resources to the area. The Italian navy was also mobilized by dispatching the frigate 'Alpino'. The 12 crew members were recovered and a tug dispatched by the owner which was due to arrive at the end of the week to pull the 'Bellatrix' to Aliaga where she will probably be dismantled. The unloaded vessel may have been used to transport equipment and weapons to Libya. The Panama flagged tug 'Horoz' (IMO: 7610830) meanwhile has arrived from Alcanar and started to tow the vessel to Aliaga on April 11. The 'Bellatrix' arrived at Aliaga anchorage on April 20. Initially, Covid 19 routine controls as well as quarantine procedures were applied by local health office. A damage survey was carried out by the appointed Owners technical representatives. The vessel entered the Aliaga shipyard on May 5. Recycling process commenced after the completion of environmental permission formalities. Report with photis: https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/les-italiens-assistent-un-cargo-en-feu-au-large-de-la-libye

Ship on fire in Ionian Sea

The 'Bellatrix' issued a distress signal on April 8, 2020, at 7 a.m.after a fire broke out in the engine room and raged out of control in the Ionian Sea in pos. 36 26 N 018 42 E, 180 miles SE from Catania, while enroute from Khoms to Samsun. The Coast Guard of Calabria was coordinating the SAR operation. The 12 crew members from Russia, the Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkey and India were rescued by the nearby cargo m/v 'Arife' (IMO: 9266322). The patrol boat 'Diciotti' from Roccella Jonica and an Air Force P180 from Catania, as well as an ATR 42 from the Coast Guard Pescara and an ATR72 were deployed to the scene. The 'Bellatrix', which was unloaded, was to be towed to Aliaga after the fire has been extinguished. A tug was expected on site within the next 36 hours for this purpose. Italian reports with photo and video: http://www.strettoweb.com/2020/04/incendio-bellatrix-largo-reggio-calabria-video/997400/ https://www.reggiotoday.it/cronaca/equipaggio-nave-in-fiamme-guardia-costiera-reggina.html https://agenda.ge/en/news/2020/1100