HELEN H

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Course/Position

Latest news

Two injured crew members medevaced

Two injured crew of the 'Helen H' were medevaced by a fire rescue helicopter off Chioggia in the afternoon if Oct 8, 2021. The ship had left Chioggia at noon, bound for Alexandria. Shortly after the departure it requested urgent medical assistance. The helicopter made two flights to lift the seamen, both were transferred to hospital. The circumstances of the accident were unknown as well as the character of injures the health condition of the victims. The 'Helen H' continued her voyage. Report with video: https://www.veneziatoday.it/cronaca/infortunati-nave-chioggia-elicottero.html

Container ship kept from grounding under difficult circumstances

The "F. Arslan V" broke down off Lavernock Point in the night of June 6, 2017. The ship had sailed from Cardiff bound for Avonmouth at 6 a.m. but lost engine power shortly after leaving port. It tried to anchor off Lavernock Point in high winds and heavy seas. The "F. Arslan V", during anchoring, somehow managed to tangle her two anchors together, making them both useless. One of the ´ship’s anchors had become wrapped around the chain of the second anchor, rendering both anchors incapable of holding the ship and presenting an underwater knot that could not be undone without the use of divers. Two local tugs, the "Trueman" and "Tradesman", were called to tow the vessel back to port – but first had the task of attempting to free the fouled anchors. One of the tugs connected to the stern of the disabled vessel, which was in a very exposed position and close to a reef of underwater rocks. The Bristol Channel pilot on board the "F. Arslan V" and the tug skippers advised the ship’s captain to sacrifice the anchors and cut them free, but valuable time was lost whilst the captain radioed the shipowners. Off Flatholm the tugs were still struggling to free the container ship’s fouled anchors. By 6:15 p.m. the tugs managed to tow the container ship away from the rocky outcrop near Lavernock and out towards Flatholm Island with her anchors still knotted together beneath her keel. Eventually it was agreed both anchor chains would have to be cut, released into the sea and abandoned, in order to enable the ship to be towed back into port. The bow starboard anchor remained fouled despite concerted efforts to free it. The ship’s crew eventually cut through both anchor chains and allowed them to run out into the sea. It took 15 minutes to cut though each anchor chain …but the problems did not end there. The tugs battled to bring the stricken container vessel under control amidst strong NW winds and against the tide stream. The ship was being swept inexorably back towards Lavernock Point again. The tugs then had to attempt to turn it towards Cardiff against the the tide and the strong north westerly wind.At 5.45 p.m. one of the tow lines snapped. There were then problems in getting another line passed from the ship to the tugs – an operation not helped by the non-English-speaking crew. With the tide falling rapidly and the northerly winds pushing the ship down channel back towards the treacherous Lavernock Point and the Wolves Rocks, Milford Haven Coastguard declared an emergency and alerted local lifeboats. The Barry Dock lifeboat, which had already launched on exercise, was called into service. Eventually the stricken ship was moved to Cardiff Roads off Penarth – with the prospect of the tugs motoring all night to keep her in position until the next tide allowed her to be brought back into Cardiff Docks. A third tug, the "Irishman" was called in from Newport. The Barry Dock lifeboat remained on standby as night fell. On June 7 at 4 a.m. the "F. Arslan V" finally docked in Cardiff after being held in position all night off Penarth by tugs. Considerable credit must go to the local Bristol Channel pilot who was aboard "F. Arslan V" and in charge on the bridge of the ship – and to the skippers of the tugs. They all worked as an effective team pooling their resources and experience to resolve a very difficult situation. Report with photos: https://penarthnews.wordpress.com/2017/06/06/tugs-set-out-to-aid-disabled-container-ship-off-lavernock-point/

Four workers injured when scaffolding collapsed

Four workers were injured aboard the "Friedrich Arslan V" in Emden during cleaning works in the cargo hold, when a scaffolding, they were standing on, collapsed ,on July 8, 2014, around 3 p.m. The men fell eight meters down. One of them was able to escape from the cargo hold by himself, aother was seriouly injured and had to be taken to Hospital by helicopter. He was treated on Scene and then recovered by an expert team of the fire brigade. The injured were taken to hospitals in Oldenburg and Groningen, two others treated in Emden. The fire brigade was on Scene with 30 men.