VIVO

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

North Trans assisted in rescue of foundering barge

The "North Trans" carrying a fuel-laden barge assisted in the rescue of the leaking barge "Bona Spes", 726 ts (EU-No.: 2103552), on the Markermeer in the morning of Aug 31, 2012. The 60-m-ship, which was loaded with gravel and had three people on board, was en route from Amsterdam to Lelystad, when it started to settle due to water ingress caused by waves toppling over the deck. The lifeboat stations of Marken and Enkhuizen were notified by Rijkswaterstaat about the distressed vessel which was located four miles south of Lelystad at 8.30 a.m. Stormy north wind with 7-8 bf had caused a wave height of more than five feet. The distressed ship struggled to head into the wind as the waves rolled into the hold. Because the situation was anything but stable, the "Frans Verkade" from Marken which was first on scene put three crewmembers with a pump on board and evacuated two of the crew, leaving only the master on board. Soon after the two lifeboats of the KNRM Station Enkhuizen were on site and put both their pumps and several crewmembers aboard the casualty. The "Watersports" took it in tow and pulled it into the wind. Meanwhile also the police vessel "P87" was on the spot as well a ship of Rijkswaterstaat for the excort. The Coastguard had now also alarmed the station Zeevang for an extra pumping capacity of four pumps, but the gravel became increasingly saturated with water, and the ship began to heel slightly. Now the tug with its fuel barge was used as a breakwater until the pumps provided by the lifeboats "Rien Verloop" and "Watersports" from Enkhuizen could cope with the flooding, and the "Bona Spes" was escorted to Lelystad when it was riding higher in the water. At 11 a.m. the barge was docked at the North lock in Lelystad. Dutch report with photo: http://www.noordhollandsdagblad.nl/stadstreek/enkhuizen-westfriesland/article17665613.ece/Zinkend-schip-toch-behouden?lref=vpll