11 still missing after Bourbon tug sinks in Atlantic

Catogory : Market Report

SEARCH and rescue efforts are continuing for 11 crew that are still missing after the fire fighting tug Bourbon Rhode sank in the Atlantic after being hit by a hurricane at the end of last week. Vessel owner Bourbon updated that the search continues with the full support of Regional Operational Centre of Surveillance and Rescue (CROSS) and the French navy, with five commercial vessels being diverted to help the rescue teams. A Falcon 50 aircraft of the French navy as well as the aircraft of the US National Hurricane Center have conducted numerous overflights of the search area. The French navy’s surveillance frigate Ventôse along with an accompanying helicopter is expected to join the search on Monday. Three crew members were spotted in a life raft by the aircraft and taken on board a commercial vessel, according to a source. There were a total of 14 crew on board the 2006-built vessel when it was hit by category four storm Hurricane Lorenzo in the Caribbean while en route to Guyana. The 650 dwt tug consequently experienced water ingress in its stern, on September 26 and an international rescue mission was launched by owner Bourbon to assist the distressed vessel. Bourbon stated that the vessel started taking on water when it encountered the hurricane. At the time of the incident, Bourbon Rhode was located around 1,200 nautical miles off Martinique Island and 60 nautical miles south-south east from the eye of the hurricane. Bourbon management explained that a crisis cell was immediately activated to ensure the coordination of the rescue of the vessel and its crew, in close collaboration with authorities, including CROSS, West Indies-Guyana.