- General Cargo Vessel Sinks in Caspian Sea; Crew Rescued
Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the general cargo vessel Rona sank after experiencing water ingress in the Caspian Sea on 14 January. All crewmembers were rescued from the vessel.
The vessel issued a distress call requesting assistance. The Turkmenistan Coast Guard responded to the emergency and successfully rescued all 14 crewmembers from the vessel. No injuries were reported.
Ukrainian media outlets have alleged that Rona had previously been involved in transporting Iranian weapons to Russia. However, there has been no official confirmation of these claims, and the nature of the cargo on board at the time of the sinking remains unclear, raising concern about the potential pollution risk..
The authorities have not released further details regarding the incident.
Rona is a 1983-built cargo ship sailing under the flag of Iran. It measures 113.98 meters in length and 13.21 meters in width.
- Fire Breaks Out Aboard General Cargo Vessel Docked for Repair
A fire broke out aboard the general cargo vessel Marry-S on 12 January while it was docked at Damen Shiprepair in Harlingen, Netherlands. The fire was extinguished quickly, and no injuries were reported.
Marry-S arrived at Damen Shiprepair’s Lange Lijnbaan yard in Harlingen, the Netherlands, on 17 December and was scheduled to undergo repairs and routine maintenance in late January. A fire broke out aboard the vessel on the morning of 12 January, and the closed cargo hatches resulted in a large buildup of smoke.
The fire was quickly brought under control following an emergency response that deployed heavy firefighting equipment.
An investigation has been opened, and the cause of the fire remains unknown at this time. The extent of the damage to the vessel has not yet been released.
The Marry-S is a Dutch-flagged general cargo vessel built in 1997. It has a length of 89 metres, a beam of 12.4 metres, and a gross tonnage of 2,375.
- Cargo Vessel “Fener” Intentionally Grounded Near Port Said After Losing Control
The general cargo vessel Fener was intentionally run aground south of the anchorage of Port Said to prevent the vessel from sinking. All crew of the vessel were subsequently rescued and are in good health except for one who was reported to be injured.
The incident occurred on 13 January in the anchorage of Port Said. Due to deteriorating weather conditions, the master of the vessel requested permission to wait in the anchorage until conditions improved.
A technical malfunction led to loss of control, and the vessel was carried towards the coast, hitting the bottom and causing water ingress.
At around 11:30 p.m. local time, the Suez Canal Authority(SCA) received a distress signal from the Fener reporting that the vessel had developed a dangerous list towards the starboard side by 10 degrees, was taking in water and was at the risk of sinking.
As a precautionary measure, the captain of the vessel purposely drove the vessel ashore to prevent it from sinking before help could arrive.
- Cargo Vessel Drifts at Istanbul Anchorage After Engine Failure
On 14 January, the general cargo vessel Princess Eva, while anchored off Istanbul, suffered an engine malfunction and began drifting, prompting a tug assistance operation to prevent a potential collision.
The incident occurred at the Ahırkapı Anchorage, where Princess Eva, bound for Kavkaz, began drifting and dangerously approached the cargo vessel Resat Aga. Turkey’s Directorate General of Coastal Safety (KGEM) deployed the tug Kurtarma 1 to assist the distressed vessel. The tug successfully manoeuvred Princess Eva to a safer location in Ahırkapı Anchorage.
The operation was conducted under the coordination of the Istanbul VTS (Vessel Traffic Services) Center. No injuries or pollution were reported.
South Africa is reporting one of its most dramatic rescue operations in recent years, saving the lives of 21 fishermen who were forced to abandon ship after their trawler went up in flames Monday evening.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) reports that multiple rescue teams were activated after it received a distress mayday call from the crew of the fishing vessel Silver Dorado. The crew said they were preparing to abandon ship as the fire overtook their vessel.
