Injured Master and Officer Evacuated During North Sea Storm

The Dutch and German rescue agencies are reporting they responded to a Mayday call from a heavy-lift vessel operating in the North Sea during last weekend’s heavy storms. Some areas were reporting sustained winds of 50 to 60 mph and gusts of 70 to 80 mph, causing widespread damage, including likely contributing to the cruise ship hitting two containerships in the port of Bremerhaven.

The vessel’s owners, United Heavy Lift, say the ship was attempting to weigh anchor and turn into the seas on Sunday afternoon, October 25. It was approximately 18 miles off the Dutch coast near Schiermonnikoog. According to the company’s version of the incident, the vessel swung beam-on to the seas and experienced severe rolling and consequently high acceleration forces.

It said the master and the second officer lost their footing during the rolling and sustained injuries. It disputes a statement by the Dutch rescue service, which said the vessel was also experiencing engine problems. “At no time did the vessel experience any engine failure or machinery damage,” the company writes in its statement.

This story was originally published by The Maritime Executive. Read the full story at The Maritime Executive →