Germany's Mosel River set to reopen after lock repairs
The Mosel river in western Germany could reopen to cargo shipping later this week as repairs to a damaged lock are making fast progress, navigation authorities said on Monday.The river, an important transit route for grains and rapeseed between Germany and France, was closed to inland waterways shipping in December after an accident which damaged a lock at Mueden south of Koblenz.New lock gates have now been installed and are being prepared for the first test vessel transits expected on Thursday to Friday…
USCG rescues 4 after collision south of Block Island
The Coast Guard rescued four people Thursday night from a fishing boat after a collision between two fishing boats occurred approximately 10 miles south of Block Island, Rhode Island. At approximately 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound received a distress call via VHF-FM channel 16 of two fishing boats colliding.Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and dispatched crews aboard a Coast Guard Station…
Black Sea Spill Volunteers Beg Putin for Help
Volunteers helping to clean up a major oil spill along Russia's Black Sea coast appealed in a video released on Monday for President Vladimir Putin to urgently send federal aid, saying that they and local authorities were overwhelmed.The pollution, which has coated sandy beaches at and around Anapa, a popular summer resort, has caused serious problems for seabirds and everything from dolphins to porpoises.The oil is from two ageing tankers hit by a storm on Dec. 15. One of the vessels split in half, while the other ran aground.On Thursday, Putin called the incident an ecological disaster and officials from Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry say over 10…
Ukraine blames Russia for Black Sea oil spill
Ukraine said on Monday Russia was to blame for a major oil spill in the Kerch Strait that leads into the Black Sea, accusing Moscow of breaking navigation safety rules by using old tankers and keeping two vessels at sea during a storm.A Russian oil tanker split apart during a storm on Sunday, while another one ended up in distress in the strait that separates Russia from the Crimean Peninsula that Moscow's troops seized and annexed from Ukraine in 2014.Russia did not say how much fuel was leaked but its state news agency TASS reported the two vessels had been carrying 9,200 metric tons of oil products."The Russians have a rather complicated situation... in the Azov and the Black Sea region.
Germany's Mosel River Partially Reopens to Shipping
The Mosel in west Germany was partially reopened to cargo shipping on Monday after a temporary lock was installed over the weekend, but the number of vessels able to sail will be limited, navigation authorities said.The river, an important transit route for grains and rapeseed between Germany and France, was closed to inland waterways shipping last week after an accident which damaged a lock at Mueden south of Koblenz and repairs are likely to last until spring 2025.But a temporary lock was installed over the weekend and tested successfully, the German navigation agency WSA said. The first trapped ship transited the temporary lock system on Monday without problems and sailed towards the Rhine, the WSA said.
Panamanian-flag Tanker Rescues 73 in Dramatic Ops
The Panamanian-flagged tanker Nestos (IMO 9417464) played a pivotal role in a search and rescue mission, coordinated with the Greek Coast Guard, to save a distressed vessel.As reported by the Designated Person Ashore (DPA), the Nestos responded immediately to the call from Greek authorities, exemplifying exceptional readiness and unwavering commitment to maritime safety.Through the swift and skilled actions of its crew, 73 individuals were successfully rescued. Onboard, the survivors received comprehensive care…
Four Bodies Recovered from Red Sea Tourist Boat
Four bodies were recovered on Tuesday from a tourist boat which capsized off Egypt’s Red Sea coast, and rescue teams were still searching for seven missing people, the Red Sea Governorate said in a statement.Provincial governor Amr Hanafi said rescue teams had found five people alive on Tuesday, two Belgian tourists, one Swiss, one Finn and an Egyptian, bringing the total number of survivors to 33.The boat, the Sea Story, capsized on Monday near the Sataya Reef while carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew on a multi-day diving trip. It was struck by high waves and sank in five to seven minutes.Twenty-eight people were rescued with minor injuries on Monday.
28 Rescued after Red Sea Tourist Boat Sinks
Egyptian authorities rescued 28 people after a tourist boat sank off its Red Sea coast, the Red Sea Governorate said in a statement on Monday, as a search continued for the 17 remaining passengers and crew.The boat, Sea Story, was carrying 45 people, including 31 tourists of varying nationalities and 14 crew, on a multi-day diving trip when it went down near the coastal town of Marsa Alam, according to a separate statement by the governorate.Egyptian armed forces frigates and aircraft swept the area to try to locate the missing, but by 5:00 p.m. (1500 GMT) the search had been paused for the night, a government source said.The governorate said a distress call was received at 5:30 a.m.
