Assisting ships in distress

[cappy]

john one of Stephen suttons m v risley did about 10 months in her one of the first all accom aft but nobody about outside accom would have just blown u away regards cappy

[j.sabourn]

Ted you must have been on the refined ships, never very often heard it referred to as a backsplice, probably would be told to put a dogs c...k in that. Cheers John Sabourn

[EIFION]

Hi was involved in several rescues

MV Centurity 30-1-1972 took MV Frivolity in tow in a blisard into Bologne . Strange one this as the owners asked the Chieif engineer (me) to jump aboard and see what was wrong with her engines , in a howling gale , blisard pitch darkness in the chanel . I politely refused. Think we were on passage to Antwerp

MT Afon Goch ( ocean going salvage tug ) 20-6-76 towed MV Cairngorm off Llanddulas quarry with engine trouble. Payed well as there was only five of us aboard the tug instead of the regular 14

MT Afon Goch 13 10 1976 Hurricane off the azores stood by with MV Magician the mv Pentland Brae with engine failure ( think this was her maiden voyage ) then straight after went to assist scandinavian sail training ship which had lost her mizzen mast. We allmost got into bother ourselves doing this as we shipped a sea over the towing deck that damaged the steel cover over the steering flat causing down flooding. Not much fun repairing that half drowned by the waves sweeping over us

I was not involved being only a school kid, but had a cliff top view when the Moelfre Lifeboat did her heroic rescue of the crew of the MV Hindlea in 1959. I was related to three of the lifeboat crew and watching them below us never expected to see any of them alive again. Could not have put me off much though as i crewed on the same lifeboat a few times years later when on leave.

There were a few others but these stick in my mind

[Andy Smith]

In May 1991, as Chief Officer, I saw/heard the ABT Summer explode off Angola. She was a VLCC from Kharg Island to Rotterdam.
I heard a double “boom” and thought it was Concorde in supersonic flight. I started looking around but saw thick black smoke about 10 miles away. The Old Man altered course and steamed towards it.
We and other ships spend about three days looking for survivors, all but 5 of the 32 man crew were picked up by the other vessels.
After 3 days the search was stopped and the searching vessels continued on their way. As we departed I heard a couple of ships, on the VHF, who were passing the wreck saying that it was sinking.
The fire caused by the burning oil was very severe; oil had leaked into the sea which was also on fire. Some (all?) of the crew got into a life boat, but in doing so the fuel line to the engine was damaged. The survivors then started to row to get away from the burning oil. There were problems rowing and the L/B was being over taken by the burning oil. Some crew decided to jump for it and some stayed on the L/B, the ones who stayed on the boat perished and those who jumped survived.
The cause of the explosion was to do with a crack between a segregated ballast tank and a cargo tank. Whether it was because of the crack “working” in the swell or if repair work was being done on it I don’t know.
I remember thinking as we sailed away after giving up the search; “I hope no poor bastard is in the water watching us”
I was on the BP ship which was the On Scene Commander.
Apologies for any inaccuracies, but it was a long time ago.

[cappy]

avery sad and mind changing occurance such can be a life at sea regards cappy

[Gulliver]

Further to Andy's post, I'm adding just a few more details of that sad incident, one of hundreds which happened in the 70's and 80's and primarily caused by greedy,unscrupulous owners,and long forgotten,if not even reported to the rest of the world..... except by the relatives of those lost,and those who were involved in the search and rescue.



On 28th May 1991, while en route from the Gulf terminal at Kharg Island, Iran to Rotterdam the tanker ABT SUMMER,(267,801 dwt)-blt.1974 ;fully laden with a cargo of 260,000 tonnes of Iranian heavy crude oil, experienced an explosion and a fire about 700 miles off the coast of Angola. Five of the 32 crew members on board died as a result of the incident.
A large slick covering an area of 80 square miles spread around the tanker and burnt fiercely. The ship burned for three days before it sank on 1st June and subsequent efforts to locate the wreckage were unsuccessful.
305,000 cu metres crude were spilled,and the underwriters alleged her to be unseaworthy.
Cause? The Centre for Tankship Excellence database records a cargo oil leak into No 3 Port Ballast Tank.The Chief Mate went down to investigate using an air-driven blower with the 4 other crew members attending who were also killed. The Liberian enquiry blamed the Chief Mate,also the owners were blamed for poor Class control and poor maintenance.
History Built 1974 by Hyundai at Ulsan,S.Korea as the ATLANTIC BARON. In 1977 was renamed PROSPERITY,then in 1990 renamed ABT SUMMER.


[ explosion & fire 14.05S/00.05E 28.5.91 & believed foundered 13.53S/00.14E before 1.6.91 (5*)]-Miramar details.

[Stuart Henderson]

! was on MV Gannet of GSNC in August 1956 en route London Hamburg. I was in my bunk asleep when woken by engine noise and rough seas and other unusual noises. Went on deck to find lifeboar being launched in darkness and rough seas Chief Officer was in charge in lifeboat which was off to rescue crew from MV Traquair, I believe the Chf eng & 3 ABs made up crew,Traquair foudered when cargo shifted due to rough seas. The Gannet rescued most of her crew, but her Master stayed aboard till she actually sunk but was rescued by tug i believe.
We carried survivors on to Hamburg where we made the local newspapers. Luckily all crew were saved, my part was frying sausages for survibors and giving clothes to replace lost items. Memorable experience though
Stuart

[Gulliver]

Further to Stuart's post:-

The 567 gross tons motor coaster TRAQUAIR(2) -)ON 167240)- was completed in 5/1939 by Burntisland SB Co;Burntisland as the GUERNSEY QUEEN for The British Channel Islands Sg.Co,London.
She was sold onwards in 1947 to Geo.Gibson & Co.Ltd ,Leith and renamed TRAQUAIR(2).

On 19^th August 1956 she foundered in 52.12N,2.35 E (about 15nm E of Aldeburgh,Suffolk,)whilst on passage from Leith to Terneuzen,Netherlands with a cargo of coal slurry.

[Andy Smith]

Gulliver Thanks for the additional information, the bit about the lifeboat appears to be incorrect, although I never saw any lifeboats drifting arround.

You are right about the lack of publicity, I didn't hear about it at all from the outside world. We reckoned at the time it was because no seabirds were harmed, only 5 seaman.

Andy

[Ian Turnbull]

! was on MV Gannet of GSNC in August 1956 en route London Hamburg. I was in my bunk asleep when woken by engine noise and rough seas and other unusual noises. Went on deck to find lifeboar being launched in darkness and rough seas Chief Officer was in charge in lifeboat which was off to rescue crew from MV Traquair, I believe the Chf eng & 3 ABs made up crew,Traquair foudered when cargo shifted due to rough seas. The Gannet rescued most of her crew, but her Master stayed aboard till she actually sunk but was rescued by tug i believe.
We carried survivors on to Hamburg where we made the local newspapers. Luckily all crew were saved, my part was frying sausages for survibors and giving clothes to replace lost items. Memorable experience though
Stuart

My father was the Chief Officer who got the volunteer crew to man their lifeboat and go to aid the Traquair which was not able to launch it's own lifeboat.

The MV Gannet had been involved in another rescue some time earlier where they had offered a line to another ship with engine failure and had safely towed it to port. I have no other information on this matter, and would be grateful if anyone knows the details. My father passed away a few years back after a battle with cancer.