· Panama-flagged Bulk Carrier Faces Mechanical failure in Çanakkale Strait, Turkey
Turkey’s Directorate General of Coastal Safety (KEGM) reported on 30th October that the bulk carrier Eternal Bright suffered a machinery failure while transiting the Çanakkale Strait, Turkey. The incident occurred while the vessel was en route from Russia to Çanakkale Karabiga carrying a cargo of 75,650 tons of coal.
Following the breakdown, the Çanakkale Ship Traffic Services Center coordinated an immediate response. Under the escort of a pilot captain, the vessel was safely towed and secured by the tugs Kurtarma-3 and Kurtarma-19.
The bulk carrier was later anchored at Karanlık Liman without further incident. No injuries or pollution were reported.
Eternal Bright is a 2004-built vessel sailing under the flag of Panama. It measures 224.79 meters in length and 32.3 meters in width.
· Sanctioned Crude Oil Tanker Komander Refloated After Grounding in Suez Canal
A sanctioned crude oil tanker, Komander, ran aground after experiencing engine trouble in the Suez Canal.
The incident occurred at around 12:30 pm local time on 28th October near the 48-kilometre mark of the Canal. The tanker was the last in the southbound convoy, designated as vessel number 19.
While 18 vessels in the same convoy passed through safely, 20 northbound ships were temporarily halted as the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) deployed tugboats to assist in refloating operations.
The 274-meter-long vessel was successfully refloated at around 2:45 pm local time with no reports of pollution or structural damage.
Komander is a 2004-built crude oil tanker sailing under the flag of Russia. The vessel is operated by Hong Kong-based Yo Shui Marine Ltd and is listed under sanctions imposed by the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
· Nile River Cruise Ship Carrying Over 200 Passengers Catches Fire
A cruise ship Iberotel Crown Empress carrying 220 passengers on the Nile River caught fire on the evening of 28th October near Luxor, Egypt. Although the vessel is reported to have sustained damage, with.
The incident occurred around 6:15 p.m.local time, the second day of a 12-day cruise that the ship had embarked on from Luxor, Egypt, the previous day on 27th October. The captain of the vessel diverted to a nearby unofficial port of Esna, where the evacuation of the passengers was carried out.
Authorities believe the fire to have originated from the galley of the vessel and spread to the other sections.
The fire had spread throughout the entire ground floor, including to the exit route, which made the evacuation of passengers all the more challenging. However, the crew of the vessel and some rescuers routed the passengers to the upper deck and transferred them over to other vessels via a small gangway.
The blaze is reported to have destroyed much of the vessel, including a hall and multiple cabins. The passengers were also forced to abandon their belongings due to the hectic nature of the evacuation. There were no casualties reported, but three of the crew members have been admitted to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Iberotel Crown Empress has been temporarily taken out of service, and an investigation has been opened into the incident.
