Almost seven weeks since Houthi terrorists attacked the 'Sounion' in the Red Sea and planted explosives on the ship, setting off a series of fires on the ship's deck, these seem to have been turned off with the risk of a violent environmental disaster having been reduced significantly. Greek firefighters began fighting the fire on the ship on Sep 23. and after a week had some of the deck fires under contro. On Oct 6 it was announced that the firefighting efforts were nearing completion. Most of the fires were extinguished, while the rest were under control. On Oct 7 the 'Sounion''s heat signature no longer appeared on infrared satellite images, just as images taken from a satellite no longer showed smoke from the ship.
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COSTA FAVOLOSA
On Oct 24 a medical evacutation of a passenger aboard the 'Costa Favolosa' became necessary, while the ship was in transit from Portugal to Cartagena, 2.8 nautical miles from Cadiz. The CCS Cadiz of Salvamento Marítimo mobilizes the SAR boat 'Salvamar Suhail' to the cruise ship, which embarked the patient and transferred him to Puerto América, where an ambulance was waiting for him for further transport to a hospital.
TREND
On Oct 6, 2024, at noon , officers of the Port Authority of Keratsini arrested the 43-year-old Indian Master of the 'Trend' for a violation of article 291 par. 1 (A) and (D) of the P. K. (Dangerous interference with transport) in conjunction with article 43 of Decree Law 187/73 "PERI KDND" (Obligations of Masters). The vessel had sailed to the anchorage of Piraeus en route from Algeria with 17 crew members on board. On Oct 5 it declared a fault in one of its two generators. The Port Authority banned the tanker from sailing until the repair of the damage and the presentation of a class maintenance certificate by the monitoring classification society. During the inspection by the crew of a patrol vessel it was found that both generators were out of order, without informing the Port Authority. A preliminary investigation was carried out by the Central Port Authority of Piraeus, while the ship remained at anchor and a tug went on standby for any assistance. As of Oct 8, the ship remained stationary in pos. 37° 55' N 023° 34' E.
CONNEMARA
The 'Connemara' allided with the Waitohi Wharf in Picton while berthing in strong winds on the morning of Oct 8. A strong wind gust caused the ferry to make contact with fendering on the wharf. There was no damage to the ship but that a fender attached to the wharf needed repairs. The ship was delayed from berthing while repairs were carried out. The ferry was doing laps before dropping anchor in the Queen Charlotte Sound. Report with photos and video: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/530153/bluebridge-ferry-connemara-damages-wharf-in-picton-in-berthing-mishap
TOREX
The 'Torex', en route from Mundra to Qingdao, was boarded by five perpetrators, armed with knives, on Oct 2, 2024, at 1.09 a.m. in the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, about 2,3 nautical miles south of Pulau Cula, in pos. 1° 4'74 N 153° 43'05 E. The intruders stole engine spares and escaped.
CARNIVAL VENEZIA
The US Coast Guard medevaced an 85-year-old woman from the 'Carnival Venezia' on Oct 6, 2024, approximately 98 nautical miles off Cape Lookout. Sector North Carolina Command Center watchstanders received a medevac request from the cruise ship after the woman began experiencing stroke-like symptoms. A Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston, South Carolina MH-65 Dolphin helicopter arrived on scene, hoisted the patient and flew her to Wilmington Airport, where local EMS transported her to the New Hanover Wilmington Regional Medical Center. The cruise ship was en route to the Bahamas. Report with video: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3928906/multimedia-release-coast-guard-medevacs-woman-from-cruise-ship-approximately-98/
MSC APOLLO
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has confirmed the official release of the 'MSC Apollo', whichhad been anchored in Algoa Bay for a month following the oil spill which has since been contained. The ship has been allowed to depart from Algoa Bay anchorage on Sep 26 after the investigation was completed by the vessel’s owners in conjunction with the Classification Society and endorsed by the vessel’s Flag State, which resulted in one of the overboard discharges being blanked off and the sea chest strainer cleaned by a local dive company, in difficult conditions at the anchorage. No other damages have been found on the ship’s side structure during the diving inspection. The vessel proceeded to Port Louzis as next port of call, where a more thorough internal inspection of the sea chests was conducted by MSC after the arrival on Oct 3. On Oct 5 the ship finally left the port en route to Colombo with an ETA as of Oct 11.
BLUE LAGOON
Environmental protection authorities have removed some of the oil aboard the 'Blue Lagoon' near Orchid Island and were working to ensure the rest was pumped out without damaging the surrounding area. The Taitung County Environmental Protection Bureau said on Oct. 8 that as of midday, 45 tons of oil had been removed from the wreck, and about 325 tons of oil and diesel remained on board, which would seriously damage the surrounding environment if not removed. The ship’s oil and diesel storage had not ruptured or leaked. The ship's hull and cargo will be removed once all the oil is pumped out. The first break in the weather after the ship ran aground was on Oct. 4, after which various local authorities dispatched crews to implement oil spill control measures in case of a leak. These included deploying oil-absorbing materials to surrounding waters and assigning monitoring and response staff. Report with photos: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5948795
GUARDAMAR URANIA
On Oct 8 the 'Salvamar Adhara' escorted a boat with 68 sub-Saharan people on board, among them three women and five minors, to the port of La Restinga. The response was coordinated by the CCS Tenerife of Salvamento Marítimo. The 'Guardamar Urania' assisted two ruber boats with 25 and 17 sub-Saharan people on board. The migrants were transferred to Arrecife. The response was coordinated by the CCS Las Palmas of Salvamento Marítimo. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1843562042113851541
MSC GIANNA III
On the morning of Oct 4, 2024,, the Port Authorities of Chania and Rethymno were informed by the Greek Coast Guard, about a boat with migrants on board in a difficult position 32 nautical miles southeast of Gavdos. The 35 people on board were picked up by the nearby "MSC Gianna III". They were then transferred to a lifeboat and transferred to the port of Gavdos and by a passenger ferryto the port of Chora Sfakion. This was followed by their transfer to a temporary accommodation facility in Rethymno. A preliminary investigation was carried out by the Port Authority of Rethymnon.
POAVOSA BRAVE
Communication failures on the 'Poavosa Brave' led three crew to be sent into a dangerous area, where one was hit by machinery and seriously injured, an investigation of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission has found. The report said, the 'Poavosa Brave' was at anchor offTauranga preparing to load logs when the accident happened on June 23, 2023. The crew were using an onboard crane when the ship began to roll, and the swinging crane block struck the victim. The man, who sustained very serious injuries, was airlifted to Tauranga Hospital then transferred to Auckland Hospital the next day. The report, which did not name crew members involved, said at 7 a.,m. the vessel’s master told the bosun (deck crew supervisor) weather and sea conditions were unsuitable for the deck crew to use the crane to hoist the stanchions that secured the logs on the main deck. The master told the bosun the job could be done after the vessel berthed at the Port of Tauranga. By 1.30 p.m. the weather had eased and the bosun decided to train the crew on using the onboard cranes to hoist stanchions. He failed to tell the chief officer or master despite needing the master’s permission to drive the crane. He planned to have the crew unhook the stanchion pull wire after the crane hook was landed on the deck next to a hatch, but the hook landed on top of the hatch. On hearing the crane operating, the chief officer ran on to the deck to tell the crew to stop their unsafe work. The stanchions, however, were already upright and secured, with the final task to unhook the pull wire. As the bosun started to reposition the hook, the chief officer ordered three deck crew, including the victim, to climb up to the hatch top and unhook the pull wire. The two senior officers did not communicate with each other. As the crew were climbing up the the hatch top, the vessel began to roll on a sea swell. Two of the three managed to run out of reach of the swinging crane block but the third was hit and pushed back into the structure. The victim was moved to safety and wrapped in blankets and a coat as his colleagues gave first aid until an Auckland-based rescue helicopter arrived and winched him aboard. The commission’s report said it was “very unlikely” the accident would have happened if the bosun had communicated the intention to erect the stanchions to the chief officer and ship’s master. Because the bosun and the chief officer did not talk to each other on the deck, the chief officer “inadvertently sent the crew into a dangerous area. Those responsible officers could have prohibited the work or ensured everyone knew what they should do to stay safe." The bosun, chief officer and master all had more than a decade’s experience at sea. There were “significant lessons” to be learned from this accident, the report said, including the need to follow lines of authority and responsibility as not doing so could compromise safety. The vessel’s owner, Wisdom Marine, did an internal investigation and issued a fleet circular to raise awareness of the accident. All crew members were required to discuss the lessons learned at safety committee meetings. The crew of the 'Poavosa Bravo' also had extra training in risk assessment. The injured crew member was repatriated to China for ongoing hospital care and recovery on Aug 9. Report with photos: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/taic-report-blames-communication-failures-for-cargo-ship-crewmans-serious-injuries/QGERGKI62BHQVHCKG4LTPRHI7I/
CG JOSEPH NAPIER
The Coast Guard Cutters 'Joseph Doyle' and 'Joseph Napier' returned 58 migrants to the Dominican Republic between Octz 5 and Oct 7, following the interdictions of an irregular, unlawful maritime migration voyage in Mona Passage waters near Puerto Rico. The 'Joseph Doyle' returned 56 migrants to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel on Oct 5, while the 'Joseph Napier' repatriated two remaining migrants from the group to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel on Oct 7, just off Punta Cana. The interdiction occurred on the evening of Oct 2,, when the crew of the 'Joseph Doyle' sighted a grossly overloaded makeshift vessel in the Mona Passage waters east of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. The cutter embarked all 58 migrants, consisting of 42 men and seven women, who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals, seven men and one woman who claimed to be Haitian nationals, and one man who claimed to be a Venezuelan national. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3928359/coast-guard-returns-58-migrants-to-dominican-republic-following-at-sea-interdic/
OPTIMA
On Oct 7, 2024, a Russian airstrike hit the 'Optima' in Odessa. A 60-year-old Ukrainian stevedore, who was employed in a private cargo handling company. was killed. Five crew members were also injured and were receiving medical care. Four of them had suffered moderate and one man mild injuries.
SALVAMAR FOMALHAUT
The 10-m-trawler 'Cinta', with two crew members on board, requests assistance after the propulsion was fouled by a rope around the propeller about 13 nautical miles from the port of Tarragona on Oct 8. The CCS Tarragona of Salvamento Maerítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Fomalhaut', which took the ship in tow and safely pulled it to the port of Tarragona.
SALVAMAR ADHARA
On Oct 8 the 'Salvamar Adhara' escorted a boat with 68 sub-Saharan people on board, among them three women and five minors, to the port of La Restinga. The response was coordinated by the CCS Tenerife of Salvamento Marítimo. The 'Guardamar Urania' assisted two ruber boats with 25 and 17 sub-Saharan people on board. The migrants were transferred to Arrecife. The response was coordinated by the CCS Las Palmas of Salvamento Marítimo. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1843562042113851541
PARESA
The 'Paresa' was hit by a Russian missile on Oct 6, 2024, at 2 a.m. LT and sank in Yuzhny at a berth adjacent to the TIS Container Terminal, as it was due to load a cargo of Ukrainian grain, according to the owner, the Piraeus-based AK Shipping. The ship’s AIS transponder stopped broadcasting on Oct 5 at 08.59 UTC. The cargo hold No. 2 was struck by an Iskander M-type missile. No crew members were injured. The owner denied Russian claims that their vessel was carrying ammunition into Ukraine and was therefore a legitimate military target. It had arrived from Sulina ballasting to Yuzhny on 3Sep 30 and started loading corn in bulk one day later. The 'Paresa' was fixed to carry Ukrainian grain in October from Yuzhnzy/Pivdennyi on behalf of Swiss clients.
HMNZS MANAWANUI
No oil was leaking from the HMNZS 'Manawanui', the Navy said. Divers went down to the wreckon Oct 8 and have determined that the ship was sitting stable on the bottom at about 30 meters of water depth. There were no liquids leaking from the ship at this stage The environmental cleaning crews were on the ground making assessments. The Navy was making sure every effort was being done to minimise the impact on Samoa.
CG JOSEPH DOYLE
The Coast Guard Cutters 'Joseph Doyle' and 'Joseph Napier' returned 58 migrants to the Dominican Republic between Octz 5 and Oct 7, following the interdictions of an irregular, unlawful maritime migration voyage in Mona Passage waters near Puerto Rico. The 'Joseph Doyle' returned 56 migrants to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel on Oct 5, while the 'Joseph Napier' repatriated two remaining migrants from the group to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel on Oct 7, just off Punta Cana. The interdiction occurred on the evening of Oct 2,, when the crew of the 'Joseph Doyle' sighted a grossly overloaded makeshift vessel in the Mona Passage waters east of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. The cutter embarked all 58 migrants, consisting of 42 men and seven women, who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals, seven men and one woman who claimed to be Haitian nationals, and one man who claimed to be a Venezuelan national. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3928359/coast-guard-returns-58-migrants-to-dominican-republic-following-at-sea-interdic/