Guest 1711- Registered: 13 Mar 2016
- Posts: 3
Just heard that a ship is in trouble at samphire hoe, engines failed and it has either drifted onto the rocks or hit the ship carrying rocks for Shakespeare's beach.
Lifeboat on scene and helcopter standing by, 29 crew on board from what I heard.
Hope they are all okay and get to safety.
The lifeboat crews are heroes out in all weathers risking their lives.
Radio kent has just said the ship is drifting towards Folkestone.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Wouldn't fancy being on a lifeboat in these conditions, all ferry movements have been stopped.
Andy B
- Location: dover
- Registered: 10 Nov 2012
- Posts: 1,818
Radio has reported it hit the rock barge which i think is Charlie rock and is now taking on water.
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,137
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,137
French tug ABEILLE LANGUEDOC ex Boulogne now at scene.
Gross Tonnage: 1585
Deadweight: 1550 t
Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 63.27m × 14.4m
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
For those concerned, here is what we can release at this time. Thanks for all your support to emergency services and RNLI crews involved.
RNLI Dover Lifeboat Station
22 mins
OFFICIAL HM Coastguard PRESS RELEASE
Two Coastguard search and rescue helicopters have been sent in response to a cargo vessel colliding with a stone barge three miles south west of Dover.
The call from the vessel came into the UK Coastguard at around 7.20 this morning (20th November), reporting it had lost power and steering.
Bad weather conditions have meant the cargo vessel has drifted onto the Varne Bank and is taking on water. It’s understood there are 23 people on board.
The situation remains under close monitoring by the UK Coastguard and all crew are currently being evacuated.
Dover and Dungeness lifeboats have also been sent and are standing by the vessel.
Deal and Dover Coastguard Rescue Teams have been put on standby to help receive crew members rescued from the vessel.
Duty commander Steve Carson said, ‘The weather conditions this morning are particularly challenging and we have declared this a major incident. We are now planning to evacuate the crew from the cargo vessel and our HM Coastguard helicopters from Lydd and Lee-on-Solent are on the scene.'
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
I can see the stricken ship from back bedroom window,bobbing about like a cork at the moment.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
From Dover Marina on Facebook...
"With the horrendous overnight conditions continuing this morning, this was the scene shortly after daybreak. The 1996 completed, 29,381 gross tonnes woodchip carrier Saga Sky, firmly alongside the Stema Barge 1 just a few hundred metres from the shore west of Dover.
Having lost power during storm Angus, she drifted towards the beach before contacting the rock barge which halted her progress. In conditions which have to be regarded as some of the worst we have recently experienced, Dover and Dungeness lifeboats were launched on service to attend the casualty. Coastguard helicopters operated by Bristows were scrambled from Lydd and Lee-on-Solent resulting in eleven crew members from the stricken Saga Sky being safely airlifted from the scene. Seriously holed above and below the waterline, the Sky's own pumps could not cope with the ingress of water, but it is understood that this is now under control. The bunkering tanker Coastalwater also stood by as the Mayday situation continued.
Currently the French salvage tug Abeille Languedoc is on scene and preparing to take the casualty under tow. It is fortunate that she was available as the UK no longer operates a fleet of ETV's or Emergency Towing Vessels."
Brian Dixon likes this
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
We no longer operate a fleet of emergency towing vessels!! What happens if we get another situation like this and the French have a similar problem their end?
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
We do have a fleet of ships on hire there are six around the UK but not one local at this time,it has been to Dover before stays about 3 weeks then moves on .But each time it comes here nothing goes wrong.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,706
I understand that both DHB tugs were made available if required to assist
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Reginald Barrington
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,259
We used have the straits and channel covered by the Anglian Monarch, but since 2011 the UK government only funds one vessel the Herakles based out of Orkney.
The French used to part fund the Anglian and I would imagine we are now doing the same for the Abeille Languedoc out of Dunkirk.
There are a couple of commercial companies in the UK with similar capabilities but none based on the south coast as far as I am aware.
It saved the country 32.5 million over four years, a drop in the ocean (pun intended) compared to the cost of cleaning up a large spill.
Arte et Marte
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
Update from Dover Marina.......
"Saga Sky Update.
As reported sequentially:
Casualty Reports: Saga Sky (Hong Kong) 20 November 2016, 09:41
London, Nov 20 -- Following received from Dover Coast Guard, timed 0755, UTC: General cargo with container capacity Saga Sky (29381 gt, built 1996), from Brake, Germany to Nueva Palmira, with 23 people on-board, in ballast condition, lost all its power and steering and is presently drifting at a speed of six knots in position lat 50 59.09N, long 001 15.21E, 6.1 nautical miles 158 deg off Folkestone harbour, today. No injuries were reported due to the incident. Authorities are awaiting for the vessel to make its way to safer open water before they can gather more information. Weather on scene force 8 (gale), expected to be force 11 (violent storm) soon.
Casualty Reports: Saga Sky (Hong Kong) 20 November 2016, 13:32
London, Nov 20 -- Following received from Dover Coastguard, timed 1310, UTC: General cargo with container capacity Saga Sky, which lost engine power, started to drift and came in contact with an unmanned, anchored, rock barge. As a result, the vessel sustained damage and started to take on water. Non-essential crew on board the vessel are being evacuated. Eleven people out of 23 on board have been evacuated and as of now, twelve people remain on board to assist the French tug tasked to help the vessel. Saga Sky dropped two anchors to hold position and contacted Dover CGOC for assistance. The vessel intends to make way to anchorage off Dunguness. Gris Nez to confirm if Dunkerque harbour are happy to receive the vessel and arrange for French officials to inspect the vessel.
Casualty Reports: Saga Sky (Hong Kong) 20 November 2016, 13:44:
London, Nov 20 -- Statement issued by managers of general cargo with container capacity Saga Sky: Today, our managed vessel - the Saga Sky - on her way from Brake, Germany to Nueva Palmira, Uruguay, ran in to heavy weather near the British coast. While seeking shelter, she came in contact with an anchored barge. The extent of damage to our vessel is not clear yet. The vessel is not in danger. As a precautionary matter, some crew were taken off the vessel in agreement with the Coast Guard. The vessel will proceed for repairs once the weather subsides. There are no injuries and no pollution.
Casualty Reports: Saga Sky (Hong Kong) 20 November 2016, 16:59
London, Nov 20 -- Following received from Dover Coastguard, timed 1650, UTC: General cargo with container capacity Saga Sky is now safely anchored off Dungeness point with two French surveyors on board, assessing the damage.
Casualty Reports: Saga Sky (Hong Kong) 20 November 2016, 17:35
London, Nov 20 -- Statement issued by the Managers of general cargo with container capacity Saga Sky has now anchored safely at an anchorage off Dungeness. All crew are safe, there is no pollution. The vessel is not in any danger and is under its own power. No tug assistance was required. Shore authorities are on-board to assess the damages.
Ends."
Brian Dixon and Reginald Barrington like this
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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