MT RAMA 2

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Details of SAR operation revealed

The "Rama 2" issued a distress message: “Please help we are sinking” via VHF on June 26 at 01.36 a.m. The tanker was reporting a heavy list with 14 crew members on board; weather conditions were very difficult in the area with a sea state 5 and a swell with tall waves of over five metres. This call was relayed to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Fareham, Hampshire who began to coordinate a rescue plan. The United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) and Combined Maritime Force (CMF) in Bahrain were informed and assessed options to assist the rescue plan with Naval ships, helicopter and maritime patrol aircraft support deployed in the region. HMS "Monmouth"’s Wildcat helicopter "Black Jack" from the 815 Naval Air Squadron, was launched to meet up with the RFA "Cardigan Bay" which was closer to scene and able to transit towards the area for an airborne search and rescue operation. One of the passing merchant ships, the LNG tanker "Soyo" (IMO: 9475208), responded to the VHF call and headed towards the given position. More information from the "Rama 2" was received later. The tanker had on board 5551 tons of gas oil and had suffered structural damage at starboard side. Oil already started to leak, a sheen spread several cables from sinking tanker. At 2.57 a.m. the tanker crew reported to abandon ship. At 3.24 a.m. the British Coastguard and UKMTO were notified, and one of the merchant ships already on the scene was nominated as SAR coordinator. At 4.12 a.m. the tanker reported a faulty free fall lifeboat, all crew members were inside, unable to release the boat. By the time one of the vessels approached the tanker, it had partially sunk with 45 degrees starboard list. Attempts to pick up crew, using one of rescue vessel’s life raft, failed. At 5.46 a.m. the tanker sank in position 13 55N 055 53E, 135 miles northeast of the easternmost tip of Socotra, 242 miles southeast from Salala. At 07.06 a.m. the "Cardigan Bay" reported an ETA to the SAR site in 6 hours. At 7.20 a.m. one of the Good Samaritans, the bitumen tanker "Seapower" (IMO: 9546162) spotted and rescued one surviving crew members. At 7.33 a.m. another of the tankers reported the rescue of 10 crew members. The weather started to deteriorate. At 07.56 a.m. the "Soyo" spotted one dead body floating in the sea face down. At 08.10 a.m. the "Seapower" reported two rescued crew members, the product tanker "MTM Tortula" (IMO: 9742065) reported 10 rescued castaways, 12 in total. At 08.20 a.m. the three tankers, initially deployed in the SAR operation, still were conducting the search for one missing person. A car carrier timewise joined the search too, but was released by the UK Navy. Between 9 a.m. and 9.50 a.m. the Japanese aircraft "Japan 41" joined the SAR operation and spotted a person in the water. They reported the position to merchant ships, and one of the tankers approached the position given by aircraft, but only found an empty immersion suit. Between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. an empty life raft, barrels, drums and fenders, scattered around, were spotted by the ships which were still engaged in SAR. At 11.32 a.m. a passing container ship reported having spotted a survivor in a lifejacket, gave his position and added, that the man was in the midst of an oil sheen. The container ship informed the others, that it was unable to rescue him due to heavy rolling. The RFA "Cardigan Bay" was making best speed towards the scene and as soon as the Black Jack was within range it was launched to conduct a search for the remaining crew members in the water. The "Japan 41", operating under the Combined Maritime Forces CTF 151 and supporting the efforts, gave positions for the Black Jack to search and just towards the end of the flight time the crew man was spotted in the water and at the time he was not showing signs of life. Due to critically low fuel his location was marked and Black Jack returned to Cardigan Bay to quickly refuel and then made best speed back to the scene. At 1.03 p.m. the LNG tanker spotted and approached the survivor and dropped an MOB marker in position 13 57N 055 58E. The Black Jack was at the limit of its safe operating window with darkness approaching, fuel running low again and weather conditions hampering the search when the rescue began. In difficult seas with tall waves and worsening conditions, Black Jack was able to reach the survivor and after various attempts connect him to the wire for a last minute lift out of the water. There were times when the waves engulfed both winchman and survivor in exhausting conditions which took over half an hour to get him connected to the wire. Just before sunset the Black Jack landed on the flight deck of the "Cardigan Bay". The survivor was immediately checked by the Medical Officer and assessed to be fit and well but somewhat battered, it was estimated that he had been in the water since the sinking earlier in the day. All castaways were reunited on board the "MTM Tortola" and recovered to Salalah in Oman. Report with photos: https://combinedmaritimeforces.com/2017/06/29/combined-maritime-search-and-rescue/

Tanker sank in Gulf of Aden

The "Rama 2" capsized and sank on June 26, 2017, in the Gulf of Aden, in pos. 13 50N 055 53E, about 130 miles northeast of the easternmost Socotra tip. Huge explosions and flames were observed from shore prior to the sinking. The tanker was en route to Al Hamriya, coming from Mogadishu. An SAR operation was launched and coordinated by the British Coastguard. 12 of the 14 crew were rescued by nearby merchant ships, one man was rescued by a UK Navy helicopter, one man was missing. The SAR was hampered by adverse weather. The tanker had carried about 3,000 tons of fuel on board. Report with photo: http://maritimebulletin.net/2017/06/29/mysterious-rama-2-sinking-story-said-to-be-untrue-but-tanker-sank/