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Major rescue operation launched as two ships collide in North Sea
10:32PM GMT 05 Dec 2012
Four crew members have died and seven are still missing in the icy waters of
the North Sea, after a cargo ship collided with another vessel in the dark and
sank off the Dutch coast.
Three helicopters and two rescue ships rushed through the night to reach
the 24-man crew of the Baltic Ace, who were clinging to life rafts in
conditions that saw waves as high as 10ft.
The 23,000-tonne car carrier, registered in the Bahamas, collided with the
Cypriot registered Corvus J, a container ship, at around 7.15pm (6.15pm
BST) some 60 miles from Rotterdam in waters off the southern Dutch coast.
Peter Verburg, a spokesman for the Dutch coast guard told AFP, said the
crew had launched life rafts after the collision, and rescue teams were
attempting to pluck them from the rafts.
"We are feverishly looking for 11 missing crew members of the Baltic Ace
which sank earlier. So far we have rescued 13," another spokesman, Marcel
Oldenburger said, adding that a helicopter with infrared capabilities had
joined the search.
In a statement, the Dutch Defense Ministry said two navy patrol ships were
aiding in the search. "Helicopters are trying, in (strong wind) and high waves
to bring the people to safety," the ministry said.
By around 10pm BST 13 crew members had been pulled to safety, but 11
were still missing, and it was feared that some were not on rafts but in the
icy waters.
Mr Verburg said the 12-man crew of the Corvus J was still on board the ship,
which was helping in the rescue operation. "It is badly damaged, but not in
danger of sinking," he said.
It was not clear last night if anyone had been injured in the crash or
subsequent rescue attempt.
The Baltic Ace was under way from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Kotka in Finland
and the Corvus J from Grangemouth in Scotland to Antwerp in Belgium,
according to shipping tracker website MarineTraffic.com.
"At this stage we don't know what caused the accident," Mr Verburg said,
adding: "Our first priority right now is the safety of the 24 crew members."
The shipping lane where the accident happened is one of the busiest in the
North Sea and an important passing point for ships sailing into the Rotterdam
port, Europe's largest and the fifth-largest in the world, Dutch media
reported.
Rotterdam port spokesman Sjaak Poppe said the collision would not affect
shipping in and out of the port.
Source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...North-Sea.html
Corvus J - IMO 9262895
Baltic Ace - IMO 9386213
10:32PM GMT 05 Dec 2012
Four crew members have died and seven are still missing in the icy waters of
the North Sea, after a cargo ship collided with another vessel in the dark and
sank off the Dutch coast.
Three helicopters and two rescue ships rushed through the night to reach
the 24-man crew of the Baltic Ace, who were clinging to life rafts in
conditions that saw waves as high as 10ft.
The 23,000-tonne car carrier, registered in the Bahamas, collided with the
Cypriot registered Corvus J, a container ship, at around 7.15pm (6.15pm
BST) some 60 miles from Rotterdam in waters off the southern Dutch coast.
Peter Verburg, a spokesman for the Dutch coast guard told AFP, said the
crew had launched life rafts after the collision, and rescue teams were
attempting to pluck them from the rafts.
"We are feverishly looking for 11 missing crew members of the Baltic Ace
which sank earlier. So far we have rescued 13," another spokesman, Marcel
Oldenburger said, adding that a helicopter with infrared capabilities had
joined the search.
In a statement, the Dutch Defense Ministry said two navy patrol ships were
aiding in the search. "Helicopters are trying, in (strong wind) and high waves
to bring the people to safety," the ministry said.
By around 10pm BST 13 crew members had been pulled to safety, but 11
were still missing, and it was feared that some were not on rafts but in the
icy waters.
Mr Verburg said the 12-man crew of the Corvus J was still on board the ship,
which was helping in the rescue operation. "It is badly damaged, but not in
danger of sinking," he said.
It was not clear last night if anyone had been injured in the crash or
subsequent rescue attempt.
The Baltic Ace was under way from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Kotka in Finland
and the Corvus J from Grangemouth in Scotland to Antwerp in Belgium,
according to shipping tracker website MarineTraffic.com.
"At this stage we don't know what caused the accident," Mr Verburg said,
adding: "Our first priority right now is the safety of the 24 crew members."
The shipping lane where the accident happened is one of the busiest in the
North Sea and an important passing point for ships sailing into the Rotterdam
port, Europe's largest and the fifth-largest in the world, Dutch media
reported.
Rotterdam port spokesman Sjaak Poppe said the collision would not affect
shipping in and out of the port.
Source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...North-Sea.html
Corvus J - IMO 9262895
Baltic Ace - IMO 9386213
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