TALINK AUTOEXPRESS

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Latest news

Work to refloat ferry suspended

The work to refloat the "Tallink Autoexpress 2" was suspended in the afternoon of Aug 7 due to a fuel leak. Work was on to drain the fuel tank and avoid affecting the coastal marine environment by oil spills. There were aboaut 40 tons oil on board. The Ministry for Transport, Public Ministry, the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces (Inea), Fire Rescue, Civil Protection and Pdvsa East Refining coordinated the work to address the partial sinking of the ferry. The area adjacent to the vessel was cordoned off, and eight divers evaluated the fissures in the hull trying to seal the leak. The ship had been sidelined four years ago after suffering a fracture on the port side hull. For three years, it was anchored in the waters of the Guanta Volcadero area, where the bilge pump system was powered by electricity from a street lighting pole, but when it was moved to the Bolipuertos dock, water pumping was stopped due to a lack of electricity. Meanwhile three neglected ferries have capsized in Venecuela: In June 2010 the "Doña Juana" sank, followed in October 2016 by the "Carmen Ernestina". Spanish reports with photos: http://www.mundo-oriental.com.ve/det.aspx?id=84390 http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/comunidad/ferri-toco-fondo-en-el-muelle-del-puerto-de-guanta/

Ferry sank due to neglence

On Aug 6, 208, the "Tallink Autoexpress 2" ferry sank in the port of Guanta at Pier 5. Due to the lack of maintenance and abandonment, it had deteriorated and suffered water ingress. The emergency was reported by workers on Aug 4, and the dwatering began on Aug 5, but the amount of the water intrusion exceeded the capacity of the pumps, and the ship began to sink by the stern. In the morning of Aug 6 the ferry finally came to rest on the bottom. In 2007, when the operator Conferry was nationalized, it had 11 operational ships. The "Tallink Autoexpress 2" was purchased by the company to cover the route between Punta de Piedras and Puerto La Cruz. The voyage took approximately two hours, and tthe fast ferry could carry about 400 passengers. The ship had been laid up since four years and had no generator working, so the bilge pumps were out of order too. Spanish reports with photos: http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/comunidad/ediciones-locales/ferry-tallink-autoexpress-2-se-hundio-esta-madrugada-en-guanta/ http://www.noticierodigital.com/2018/08/ferry-tallink-autoexpress-2-se-hundio-en-el-muelle-5-del-puerto-de-guanta/ http://www.2001.com.ve/en-la-agenda/191375/se-hundio-el-ferry-tallink-express-de-conferry-en-guanta--anzoategui---fotos-.html https://www.trendsmap.com/twitter/tweet/1026811629542014977 http://www.eluniversal.com/venezuela/17112/ferry-tallink-autoexpress-en-guanta-se-hundio-por-falta-de-mantenimiento