Giant Cargo Ship on Fire off the Coast of the Netherlands
A massive cargo ship is engulfed in flames off the coast of the Netherlands, according to Gelderlander.
The ship, named “Fremantle Highway,” is loaded with 3000 cars and has a crew of 23 people.
The Dutch Coast Guard reported on Wednesday morning that one crew member has died.
Jumped Overboard
The Panamanian ship was en route from Bremerhaven, Germany, to Port Said, Egypt, when it caught fire just before midnight, Gelderlander reports.
Some of the crew members jumped overboard and were picked up by nearby ships that came to their aid. The rest were evacuated by coast guard helicopters, the newspaper states.
According to the local news site Wâldnet, the captain was instructed to evacuate the ship around 02:13 local time.
The evacuation began around 03:00 after two helicopters from the Coast Guard arrived from Rotterdam.
Some of the crew members jumped into the water due to breathing difficulties caused by the thick smoke. The ship has a height of 21 meters, measured from the waterline.
They were rescued by rescue boats, but several of them suffered broken bones from the long jump into the sea.
When it became clear that it was dangerous to jump from the deck, the remaining crew members were airlifted by a helicopter from the ship, the website reports.
Around 07:00, the Dutch Coast Guard reported that one crew member had died, and several others were injured.
Fighting the Fire from the Sea
Due to the size of the fire, it has been decided that the fire department will not enter the ship.
Efforts are now underway to combat the fire from the sea using fireboats.
“We are also trying to prevent the ship from sinking, but it has already listed significantly,” said the spokesperson.
The Coast Guard stated that the fire started in an electric car.
2023-07-26 05:17:47
#CargoShip #Fire #OneDead #SeveralInjured
How did the nearby ships and helicopters successfully evacuate all crew members from the MV Mercosul Santos during the major rescue operation off the coast of the Netherlands?
Hip caught fire on Thursday off the coast of the Netherlands, leading to a major rescue operation. The incident occurred in the North Sea, around 10 miles off the coast of the Dutch island of Texel.
The cargo ship, named MV Mercosul Santos, was en route from the Russian port of St. Petersburg to the German city of Bremerhaven when the fire broke out in the cargo hold. The ship, carrying a significant amount of hazardous material, quickly became engulfed in flames.
A total of 12 crew members were onboard the vessel at the time of the incident. Fortunately, all crew members were successfully evacuated by nearby ships and helicopters. As a precautionary measure, a rescue helicopter and several firefighting vessels were dispatched to the scene to assist with the rescue operation.
The Dutch coast guard, Royal Netherlands Navy, and maritime police worked together to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading further. It took several hours to bring the fire under control, but eventually, the situation was brought under control without any further casualties.
Efforts are now focused on preventing an environmental disaster. The MV Mercosul Santos was carrying thousands of containers, including some containing hazardous materials. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and taking measures to contain any possible leakage or pollution.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. It is believed to have originated from within one of the cargo containers, but further assessments will be made once the situation is deemed safe for investigators to board the ship.
The incident serves as a reminder of the risks involved in maritime shipping, especially when hazardous materials are involved. Safety measures, emergency response capabilities, and collaboration between different agencies are crucial in handling such incidents.
This tragic incident serves as a grim reminder of the perilous nature of maritime operations. My heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased crew member, and I hope for a speedy recovery for those injured. Our thoughts go out to all those affected by this devastating fire.