Pretoria: 12 September 2024
A total 15-member crew were successfully rescued off South Africa’s southern Cape seas on Thursday afternoon after their vessel, an offshore supply vessel caught on fire and had to be abandoned, according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) on Thursday.
The OSV, named the AM PRIDE and measuring 66.6 meters long and 16 meters wide, sailing under the flag of Marshall Island, reportedly caught on fire early on Thursday, in an ocean area approximately 48.5 nautical miles south of Mossel Bay in the Western Cape province.
According to SAMSA, the casualty vessel’s dangerous situation surfaced at about 10.30am on Thursday after the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) at the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch and Response in Cape Town received a call from the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA), advising that the MV AM Pride had fire onboard, close to a FA Platform, and required immediate assistance.
PetroSA’s report to the MRCC at the time, said the statement; was that the fire was located in the ship’s messroom and that it was out of control. Weather conditions prevailing in the area at the time were described as ‘poor’ to ‘bad’ as characterised by a south easterly wind gusting at up to 30 knots per hour, and a swell of between 3.5-5 meters, with a visibility of just seven (7) nautical miles.
The immediate and primary concern was the rescue and evacuation of the 15-member crew onboard, said SAMSA.
Towards this goal, the MRCC said: “A MayDay relay was immediately requested via Telkom Maritime Services for vessels in the area to render assistance. Two vessels identified as in proximity with the casualty vessel, the MV Angelic Peace and MV Thunderbird requested to proceed to assist.”
Ultimately however, a PetroSA helicopter was sent through to assist and was able to retrieve the first group of eight (8) seafarers from a life-raft and onto the FA platform.
The helicopter, said SAMSA, next fetched the seven (7) remaining crew member on the life-raft who where then safely flown to George.
“They will be flown to Cape Town on Friday, joining the eight (8) others scheduled to spend the night on the FA platform prior to being transferred also to Cape Town on Friday morning.
In the meantime, an Emergency Towing Vessel, the Mkhuseli, from African Marine Solution (AMSOL) is on its way to rendezvous with the casualty vessel, scheduled for about 07.30am on Friday,” said SAMSA.
The Amsol owned ETV, according to SAMSA, will retrieve the casualty vessel to a place of refuge, as agreed with the owners.
End.