from our friends @ gCaptain with further photos from ABC Adelaide

Lifeboat Washes Ashore in Australia After Two Years at Sea

By Mike Schuler On February 6, 2013



The MS Olivia grounded on Nightingdale Island in March, 2011. Photo courtesy Tristandc.com

A 29-person lifeboat belonging to the late MS Olivia bulk carrier has washed ashore in southern Australian, nearly 2 years – and about 5,000 miles – after the vessel wrecked on a remote island in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
Nick Balmer ©

Markings on the lifeboat, now covered in barnacles but in relatively good shape, clearly indicate that the vessel does in fact belong to the Malta-registered bulker.
The MS Oliva was traveling from Brazil to Singapore in March 2011 when it grounded on the uninhabited Nightingale Island, part of the Tristan da Cunha territory located some 1,500 miles off the coast of South Africa in the south Atlantic Ocean. The 40,170gt ship was carrying approximately 1,500 tons of fuel oil and 65,000 metric tons of soya beans, as well as one sturdy lifeboat, when it wrecked. No injuries were reported in the incident and all 22 crew were evacuated safely.

The ship, however, eventually suffered a complete hull failure and sank.
More photos of the lifeboat can be found HERE.
The location of the Nightingale Islands (A) in comparison to Salt Creek, South Australia (B), where the lifeboat was found. Unfortunately Google could not provide directions between the two locations.

Original report 22nd March 2011



Transport Malta says it is investigating the grounding and subsequent complete hull failure of the Malta-registered MS Oliva, a 40,170 gross tonnage bulk carrier, which occurred last week on the uninhabited Nightingale Island, located approximately 1,500 miles off the South Aftican coast in the South Atlantic Ocean. No injuries were reported and all twenty 22 members are said to be safe having been evacuated from the ship prior to the structural failure.
The MS Oliva travelling from Brazil to Singapore is reported to have been carrying approximately 1,500 tons of fuel oil and 65,000 metric tons of soya beans.
Nightingale Island is part of the Tristan da Cunha chain of islands, home to some 200,000 endangered penguins. Environmentalists are fearing a major environmental disaster estimating some 20,000 penguins and the local rock lobster fishery might be affected. According to reports, oil now surrounds Nightingale Island and extends into a slick eight-miles offshore and hundreds of penguins have been observed coated in oil.