OP HOOP VAN ZEGEN

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Towing assistance turned into rescue operation

On July 29, 2013, a simple towing assistance sturned into a difficult situation, after suddenly smoke emerged from the engine room of the "Op Hoop van Zegen" in the afternoon at buoy VS3 off Vlieland. The local KNRM-station had been asked by the Coastguard to assist the flat bottom boat after its engine had conked out, and the barge drifted towards the shallows with 14 passengers on board. Both the lifeboats "De Graaf van Bylandt" as the "Hubert Dijkstra" went to assist. The master of the flat bottom boat asked to be towed to the marina of Vlieland. The towing connection was fixed quickly and within a few minutes the marina was in sight. However, quite suddenly appeared a smoke plume at the back. When the smoke persisted, the KNRM decided in consultation with the skipper of the barge to alert the fire brigade Vlieland. The port authority of Vlieland conducted all auxiliaries to the harbor approach, and requested the KNRM to berthe the barge here. Once at the harborall 14 guests were disembarked, and the fire brigade could investigate the cause of the smoke. It was dound out that the smoke was caused by two leaky fuel injectors and a broken fuel hose. The next morning a technician was sent by the company to repair the damage. Dutch report with photo: http://www.knrm.nl/service/reddingrapporten/?contentID=6BADB3AD