The main rescue center writes in a twitter message that the vessel was abandoned at 20.14. The four remaining crew were then evacuated by rescue helicopter. One of them has been reported injured and is being taken to hospital.
The rest of the crew of a total of 12 people were flown to Ålesund early Monday afternoon.
The Norwegian Coastal Administration and the shipping company are working on a further plan for handling the vessel.
KL2014: Vessels are abandoned and the 4 remaining crews are evacuated by rescue helicopter. 1 person reported injured and taken to hospital. The Norwegian Coastal Administration and the shipping company are working on a further plan for handling the vessel.
– HRS Southern Norway (@HRSSorNorge) April 5, 2021
The cargo ship that sent out an emergency signal in the Norwegian Sea on Monday drifts empty and abandoned into the sea. There is a danger that the ship will capsize and fuel may leak out.
Guard operator Kjetil Hagen explains to NTB that the ship is now drifting empty and abandoned into the sea, but that there is a danger that it will capsize, which could lead to a fuel leak.
– As of now, the rescue part of the operation has ended. Now it is the shipping company’s responsibility to see if they can salvage ships and cargo. The Norwegian Coastal Administration will also follow up if there is a risk of leaks, says Hagen.
– When the captain chose to leave the ship, it was because they were afraid that the vessel could capsize. So there is an imminent danger that it will happen, says Hagen.
Dutch: The Dutch cargo ship “Eemslift Hendrika” had problems west of Ålesund on Sunday and sent out an emergency signal after the cargo shifted. Photo: The rescue helicopter from Florø
On autopilot
The ship is located about 60 nautical miles west of Ålesund and has a list of approximately 30 degrees.
It now continues to operate on autopilot, and one of the things the Norwegian Coastal Administration and the shipping company must find out is whether there is a danger that it will collide with an oil platform or similar.
– That is what is being investigated now. We do not have information on how much fuel there is on board. It runs on autopilot, but if it should turn in the wind it will get a different course, says Hagen.
There is now only one fishing boat in the area that keeps track of the ship.
At 23 o’clock, the vessel lost momentum. Here you can read more about how the casualty is doing.
North: According to the website Marine Traffic, “Eemslift Hendrika” goes north at a speed of about four knots. Foto: Marine Traffic
Powerful tilt
– The situation is still unclear. We have rescue resources that are ready to evacuate the four that are left on board, if needed, says rescue leader Oddgeir Andersen at the Main Rescue Center South Norway to Sunnmørsposten at approximately 18.30.
The four who are left on board are trying to stabilize the ship, which still has a strong list.
Monday night, a fishing vessel is in place by the ship, and the crew on board the Dutch ship can be evacuated quickly should the situation change.
Challenging rescue work
Andersen tells Sunnmørsposten that there are 15 meter high waves and rough weather conditions in the area:
– And it is challenging for the resources on site.
He also states that there will be a water leak in the cargo hold of the ship, but he will not speculate on where the water comes from.
There have been three helicopters at work during the day. A rescue helicopter belonging to Equinor and which is stationed on Statfjord has on Monday night replaced the rescue helicopter from Florø.
The ship was about 60 nautical miles west of Ålesund when it had problems, and it had a list of about 30 degrees.
The Dutch cargo ship “Eemslift Hendrika” had 12 people on board, and three helicopters and two other vessels left for the area after the emergency call came.
On Twitter, the Main Rescue Center announced that the eight will be flown to Ålesund. It was a rescue helicopter from Florø that helped to evacuate the crew.
Four people were then left on board the vessel to stabilize the ship.
– It is up to the captain what he considers them to do. Things can happen very quickly. We are waiting for what he says, says Torgeir Espeland in Hovedredningssentralen Sør-Norge to NTB.
Taken care of at Vigra
Giske municipality reports at 15.30 that eight people in the crew were flown to Vigra, where they are taken care of by the crisis team.
– After landing on Vigra, the eight were corona tested and taken on to Ålesund Airport hotel on Valderøya. There they were received by health teams from Giske, the municipality writes.
Traders in Giske have lined up with clothes, shoes and toiletries for the crew, since everyone had to leave the ship without being able to take anything with them.
Everyone is in good physical shape.
The 111 meter long cargo ship was on its way to Kolvereid in Trøndelag when it had problems in the sea west of Ålesund.
Trying to empty the boat of water
– The situation appears to be unchanged. We have a helicopter by the casualty and a helicopter on its way out with bilge pumps, which they can use to drain water, says Oddgeir Andersen in Hovedredningssentralen Sør-Norge to NTB at 15.30 on Monday.
The ship tilts up to 30 degrees and there are harsh conditions in the area with waves up to 15 meters and storm. This is stated by the rescue leader VG.
Shipping has shifted
Among other things, the ship has a new 24 meter long service ship on its way to AQS AS in Kolvereid in Trøndelag, writes VG. The ship has a value of NOK 66 million.
The load must be intact.
Technical manager Kristian Hjertvik in the company has been in contact with the company they bought the boat through, Moen Marin.
– What has happened is that thrusters, which have been transported under deck, have loosened and shifted so that the ship has a list and taken in water, he says to VG.
He further says that the information he is sitting on is that the tire load is undamaged and intact.
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