Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Three killed In Alcohol Induced Boating Accident On Minnesota River

Late Monday afternoon, crews recovered the body of the third victim in a late-night boating accident on the Minnesota River continues.
It happened near the I-35W bridge just before 11:00 p.m. Sunday. A witness who was fishing tells investigators that he saw the boat go under the bridge and then accelerate to a high speed. He says a few minutes later he heard a loud crash. That is when the boat hit a Barge. The witness went to see what happened and says the boat's front end was stuck under the barge and the motor was still running, but sticking out of the water. The strong current eventually pulled the boat under water. It was recovered just after 11:00 a.m. Monday. Melissa Rae Burns, 25, and Thomas John Schwake, 24, both of Bloomington were both found dead. Investigators recovered the body of Michael James Rimnac, 30, and also of Bloomington just before 6:00 p.m. on Monday. The witness and another fisherman were able to help recover the first two bodies. None of the victims were wearing life-vests. The two witnesses are identified as Anthony Voight, 26 of Prior Lake and Andrew Wolfram, 28 and also of Prior Lake. Dakota County Sheriff Don Gudmundson is praising the two for their efforts. "They did everything they could to save the lives of the victims and they worked in a calm and purposeful manner," said Gudmundson. The investigation into the cause of the crash continues, but investigators say alcohol was probably a factor.

Fishing Crew Safe After Boat Fire Off Newfoundland

Seven survive as the fishing boat "MacKenzie's Dream" erupts in flames.

Seven crew members from Bay de Verde, Newfoundland are back safe at home after a fire broke out on board their fishing boat almost 200 kilometres from St. John's. The MacKenzie's Dream, a 65-foot crab boat, was fishing for shrimp on the Funk Island banks on Saturday afternoon. Fire broke out just a few minutes after the crew detected smoke from the wheelhouse. "We had very little time," Captain Edwin Noonan told reporters. "As soon as we detected the smoke, the whole boat itself from the wheelhouse area went into flames, complete with all the electronics." With fire quickly engulfing the vessel, Noonan had just enough time to send a mayday signal before abandoning ship in favour of a lifeboat with his crew -- made up of his wife, daughter, two sons, nephew and one other member. "As I monitored the mayday call to St. John's Coast Guard radio, I knew they were in trouble straight away," said Capt. John Saunders of the Canadian Coast Guard. Noonan and his crew drifted for at least two hours before the Coast Guard ship Sir Wilfred Grenfell reached them and brought them to shore this morning. Noonan said if it wasn't for the Coast Guard, "It would have been a hard day. And the fact we got the whole seven crew aboard the life craft -- that was a very pleasing thing." The seven were treated on board the coast guard vessel for minor cuts and bruises and mild hypothermia, but are otherwise in good condition.

Coast Guard ship Sir Wilfred Grenfell

Monday, May 30, 2005

Philippine Coast Guard Rescues Chinese Seaman

Coast Guard personnel aboard two helicopters rescued yesterday a Chinese cook who fell seriously ill and required immediate evacuation from a research ship returning to China from a Pacific Ocean journey, officials said. The Chinese ship Xiang Yang Hong 09 was off Polilio island in Quezon in the Pacific Ocean, when the helicopters hoisted the cook, Xu Zukui, using a rope harness as the aircraft hovered over the sea vessel, said Coast Guard officer Ronaldo Arenas, who led the rescue. Xu, who complained of extreme abdominal pain, was flown to a Manila airport then brought to a nearby hospital for treatment, Arenas said. Although acutely ill-equipped, the Coast Guard has received equipment and training from Japan and other countries in recent years, allowing its personnel to perform such emergency missions.

Boy Missing After Boat Crash

Coast Guard crews have been searching a bayou south of Lafitte, LA with a helicopter and rescue boat in an effort to find a 12-year-old boy who disappeared after two boats collided. Rescue crews from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries also have joined the search for the boy, whose name has not been released. The boy was one of five boaters who fell into the water after a collision between a small cabin cruiser and an empty barge being pushed by the Tugboat Leah Cenac. Authorities say the other four who landed in the water -- three adults and a teenager -- were rescued. The adults did not sustain serious injuries in the crash. But the other youth, who is 14, was taken to West Jefferson Hospital. The extent of his injuries are unknown. The tug boat was not damaged in the incident, nor were there any injuries reported to its crew.

Fleet Week Drawing Thousands To Ships Around New York

If you haven't had a chance to catch Fleet Week events in the city, the holiday weekend is a perfect time.
More than 6,000 Sailors and Marines came into town on Wednesday for the city's annual salute to our men and women in uniform. The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum is hosting events every day throughout the weekend. Events included a tug of war between the services, and a search and rescue demonstration. There's a competition for the best navy chef, and a USO show. Some of the Navy's ships are open for public tours. If you want to have a look aboard, head to Pier 88 or the South Street Seaport in Manhattan, or the Stapleton Pier on Staten Island.
Fleet Week In New York

Pakistani Sailor In Town For Fleet Week Accused Of Forcing Kiss On Teen
Charges are pending against a Pakistani sailor in town for Fleet Week who is accused of kissing a 14-year-old girl against her will. Police say 30-year-old Nadeem Ahmed was talking to the teenager while walking along the east side of Central Park Friday afternoon when he allegedly grabbed the girl and forced a kiss on her. She broke away and called the police. Ahmed was nabbed after a brief search. According to a report in Saturday’s New York Post, police had already been looking for Ahmed because a missing persons report had been filed on Thursday when the sailor went AWOL from his ship, the Tippu Sultan.
The Tippu Sultan

Sunday, May 29, 2005

The Prophet Mohammed's Navy

Pakistan's first home-built submarine has been handed over to the navy to begin sea trials, defence officials have said. Pakistan's Agosta-90B submarine was built under the supervision of French engineers. The PNS M Saad is the second of three submarines Pakistan is acquiring and should come into service this year. The first, built in France, was handed over in 1999 and is already in service and the third is still under construction in Pakistan. The PNS M Saad, named after a close associate of the Prophet Mohammed, has already satisfactorily completed 750 harbour trials. The submarine is equipped with four bow torpedo tubes, missiles and a French combat electronics system.
PNS M Saad

Friday, May 27, 2005

Virtually Maintenance-free Watertight Doors Save Navy Time, Money

USS Howard (DDG 83)
The guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83) is saving more than 10,000 man-hours a year since it began testing 10 virtually maintenance-free quick acting watertight doors two years ago. The quick acting watertight doors, called Mafo doors after the Netherlands-based company Mafo Holtkamp, are making a big impression on Sailors in the fleet. "The new doors work a lot better. They don't fail, they don't wear out," said Damage Controlman 1st Class Rick Nelson.
Damage Controlman 1st Class
With a stainless steel shell, an internal dogging system, and self-lubricating moving parts, the doors require virtually no maintenance, said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Jason Luke, a damage control petty officer aboard Howard.
Electronics Technician 2nd Class
"I definitely see a huge savings with the Mafo doors in terms of maintenance," he said. The Navy estimates saving at least 1,000 man-hours per year per door. "It is a huge reduction in man-hours. It allows the ship's personnel who work on the doors to focus more on their jobs, not collateral duties," said Lt. Adrian Barefield, Howard's damage control assistant. Seventy-eight of the high-tech doors have been installed on nine Navy destroyers. Eight Mafo doors will be installed on DDG 102, the Navy's newest destroyer under construction. After DDG 102, the Navy plans on installing each new DDG with 163 Mafo doors – nearly all of the watertight doors aboard. Additionally, the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17) had 55 Mafo exterior doors installed, and the Navy plans to install the new doors on each ship in the San Antonio-class.
USS San Antonio (LPD 17)

U.S. Navy Awards $3 Billion DD(X) Ship System Integration And Detail Design Contract To Raytheon

The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon Company a $3 billion DD(X) Ship System Integration and Detail Design contract to continue the seamless advancement of mission equipment for the Navy’s DD(X) Destroyer.
Raytheon will continue to serve as the mission systems integrator for the DD(X) National Team, which includes large industry partners such as Lockheed Martin, IBM and UDLP, as well as a consortium of small businesses. Raytheon plans to issue subcontracts for work under this contract by mid-summer. "We are proud to continue to lead the cost-effective design of standardized, interoperable mission systems for tomorrow’s Navy," said Mike Hoeffler, Raytheon vice president and DD(X) program manager. This contract reflects the Navy’s firm commitment to the DD(X) program, as well as the maturity of DD(X) technologies, including the Dual Band Radar (AN/SPY-3 and Volume Search Radar), the Integrated Undersea Warfare System, the MK 57 Advanced Vertical Launcher, the Total Ship Computing Environment, and Integrated Apertures. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems will serve as the lead Raytheon business for the program. Based in Tewksbury, Mass., Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon’s leader in joint battlefield integration. With a strong international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. armed forces and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, Integrated Defense Systems provides integrated solutions for the air, surface and subsurface battlespace. Raytheon Company , with 2004 sales of $20.2 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people worldwide.

68 Rescued As MV Praque Yard Sinks

Nigerian maritime services rescued 68 passengers aboard a Sao Tome vessel, which had engine problems in the Atlantic, off the coast of the West African country, said a spokesperson on Wednesday. The Sao Tome and Principe-flagged ship named MV Praque Yard had drifted for two days since Saturday before the National Maritime Authority (NMA) rescued it. Ment Nnomeh of NMA said: "On receiving a distress call from the captain on Monday, we despatched the search and rescue team to locate the vessel. "It was found at about 200 nautical miles, drifting because of engine problem." "The vessel with its 68 passengers was towed by another ship to the Brass oil terminal, near Port Harcourt." He said the passengers, who included women and children, had run short of food and water before they were rescued. Nnomeh said the vessel would not be allowed to sail until necessary repairs had been carried out, adding that the passengers were unhurt.

Thursday, May 26, 2005

For Sale: 4 Submarines, Not Shipshape

Four mothballed submarines, acquired from the British navy nearly 40 years ago, are being put up for sale, the Canadian defence department has announced. "We are anxious to get rid of them," Pat MacDonald, the department's disposal co-ordinator, told the Halifax Chronicle Herald. "We have been for some time." The Oberon-class submarines are presently docked on the Dartmouth, N.S., waterfront. HMCS Onondaga, HMCS Ojibwa, HMCS Okanagan and the Olympus were purchased between 1965 and 1968. (The Olympus was not commissioned, but used instead as a training vessel.) HMCS Onondaga was the last of the subs to be taken out of service in 2000. MacDonald estimated they may be able to get $50,000 to $60,000 each as scrap metal. He said it would take a lot of resources to make the vessels seaworthy. Very little maintenance has been done on the submarines since they were taken out of service. The navy would have liked to use the subs as museums but they've deteriorated too much even for that.
HMCS Okanagan, an Oberon-class submarine.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Irish Ship Docks After Day Long Standoff In France

The Irish Ferries vessel MV Normandy was struck by stones and had to manoeuvre around ropes and pallets as it docked in the French port of Cherbourg last night, a passenger has claimed. The ship had spent the day waiting off the French coast as maritime unions protested at the port. Dubliners Michael and Avril Ryan, who were on board with their children, said they saw rocks strike the ship and land on the decks as the ferry approached the dockside. "It seemed a little rough. I think the ropes were there to foul the propellers and the rocks made it difficult for the crew to tie up," said Mr Ryan. Difficulties for the ferry began at about 10.30am just minutes before the vessel was due to dock. Irish Ferries said between 60 and 70 members of maritime unions blocked a ramp preventing the vessel from docking and the 793 passengers, 248 cars, four articulated lorries and two vans from disembarking. As passengers complained that they were running out of food, nappies and bottled water, the vessel waited off the harbour entrance. Irish Ferries maintained it could not safely berth while unions involved insisted only a peaceful protest was planned. Siptu official and representative of the International Transport Federation Tony Ayton, who was at the protest in Cherbourg, told The Irish Times that there was never any move to prevent the ship from docking. Mr Ayton said the protest had been planned because of the "precedent set by Irish Ferries in outsourcing its crew services to low-wage workers". It had been planned to deliver a black coffin to represent the death of Irish jobs and present the captain with a tricolour to symbolise the fact that the vessel no longer sails under an Irish flag. Negotiations to resolve the issue concluded and the ferry docked at about 7.30pm local time.
MV Normandy

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Sale Of Famine Ship Jeanie Johnston Imminent

The first steps have been taken in the sale of the Jeanie Johnston to the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. Kerry County Council has agreed to the sale of the debt-ridden famine ship this afternoon following a meeting of the shareholders. Tralee town council is another shareholder in the vessel and will meet tonight to discuss the proposals set out regarding the sale of the historical ship. The vessel, which dates from the 1840s, cost almost €15m euros to build and may be sold for just one fifth of that.
the Jeanie Johnston
Between 1848 and 1855, the Jeanie Johnston made 16 heroic voyages to North America, sailing to Quebec, Baltimore and New York. She carried over 2,500 Irish people across the Atlantic on the first step in a brave new adventure.

Monday, May 23, 2005

5 Colombian Stowaways Leap Into Water From Ship Then Taken Into Federal Custody

Four men and a teenager were in federal custody Saturday after they stowed away aboard a container ship and then jumped from the vessel, officials said. The five were found just after 3:30 p.m. when federal officers were conducting an inspection of the 150-foot Tradepoort, which was docked at berth 26 of the port, according to Zachary Mann, spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. None of the stowaways was injured, Mann said. The five will be processed and then turned over to the shipping company, which will be responsible for returning them to their country of origin.
The Tradepoort

4 Filipino Sailors Receive Reward For Helping U.S. Probe Into Illegal Dumping

Four Filipino Sailors who cooperated with an investigation into illegal cargo ship dumping off the Port of Long Beach have been awarded $250,000, officials said. Jonathan Sanchez, Jimmy Piamonte, Florencio Tolentino and Richard Santillan received their rewards Friday during a ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, officials with the U.S. Justice Department said. The men told the U.S. Coast Guard last fall that a bypass had been put on a device that separated oil from wastewater on the 600-foot-long cargo ship Katerina. Thirteen sailors from the ship were kept in the United States for months in order to serve as material witnesses against the Greek firm DST Shipping Co. and the ship's captain, chief engineer and second engineer. Those three pleaded guilty to federal charges and the shipping line was fined $1 million. Sanchez, Piamonte and Tolentino received $75,000, and Santillan received $25,000.

Sunday, May 22, 2005

North Korean Cargo Ships To Anchor in South Korea After 21 Years

A North Korean cargo ship arrived in South Korea on Sunday to pick up fertilizer for the impoverished country - the first such vessel from the isolated communist nation to dock here in 21 years. The ship traveled to the southeastern port of Ulsan after South Korea last week agreed to give 200,000 tons of fertilizer to the North in a deal reached after rare bilateral talks. Those talks failed to persuade the North to return to six-nation negotiations on its nuclear program but did lead to a deal for the rivals to meet again next month. The ship named "Mount Paektu" - the name of the highest peak in North Korea - crossed the inter-Korean maritime border with about 44 North Korean crew members. It was expected to leave for North Korea on Wednesday, according to South Korea's news agency. "I have led some 10,000 ships in the past 30 years, but this is the first time I led a North Korean ship so I was very nervous," Chang Moon-geun, a South Korean port official told said. "But there was no particular difficulty." A second ship was to arrive at Kunsan Port on the southwestern coast later Sunday and a third ship was to travel to Yeosu Port in the south early Monday. North Korean cargo ships last came to South Korea in 1984 to deliver cement, rice and other aid after massive flooding from a typhoon. South Korean officials have said the shipment of the fertilizer will be made both through land and sea routes to get the aid delivered to the communist North by June. A total of 10 North Korean ships will be sent to deliver some 82,600 tons of fertilizer. South Korea began shipping the fertilizer Saturday when trucks crossed the heavily militarized border dividing the peninsula. Following last week's talks, the first face-to-face discussions between the two countries in 10 months, South Korea said it would provide North Korea with the fertilizer out of "humanitarian and brotherly love." Since 1995, North Korea has depended on outside help to feed its 22 million people. South Korea has provided the poverty-stricken North with about 330,000 tons of fertilizer annually since 1999. The two Koreas have been divided since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

Saturday, May 21, 2005

Two Brooklyn Born Sailors Discover They Are Brothers

Two newly acquainted Brooklyn-born sailors made a bombshell discovery two days before they were deployed together to Iraq — they're brothers. The pair had never met until they discovered by freak chance at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina that they share the same father but different moms.
Brothers Sean Hurley, left, and Albert Hendrick Jr.
The brothers — who have similar looks and personalities — are now roommates and working with a surgical company in a military hospital in Iraq, while making up for more than 20 lost years. Albert Hendrick Jr., 23, who was raised with his dad in Brooklyn, never even knew of the existence of big brother Sean Hurley, 26. Then, as the pair played cards, Hurley heard someone call his new buddy — whom he had known for only a week — by his first name for the first time and the pieces of the puzzle suddenly fell into place. It was the same name as his long-lost dad Albert Hendrick Sr. — who he knew had been a bus driver in Brooklyn before his mom, Laverne Hurley, whisked him away from the mainland to St. Croix, in the Virgin Islands, when he was 4. "I said, 'That's your first name — Albert?' He's like, 'Yeah,' " said Hurley, speaking from Iraq last night. "I asked him, 'Are you a junior?' and he said, 'Yeah.' " Hurley pulled aside Hendrick Jr. after the game and asked him, "Did your dad drive buses for New York City? He said, 'Yeah.' He was looking at me, like, 'What are you getting at?' Then Hurley dropped the bombshell: "Damn, dog, we might be brothers!" Hendrick Jr. responded: "Get the f- - - out of here!" That night, Hendrick Jr. called his stunned dad at home in North Carolina. "I was teary-eyed, I tell you. I was so excited," said Hendrick Sr. "It was really something. I haven't seen Sean in over 20 years. I believe in fate, and I can tell you — it's just meant to be. "My wife knew about Sean, but I don't think [Albert] knew. His mother and me were just dating. She left when he was 4, and I was very, very upset." Now Hendrick Sr. prays both his sons will return safely from Iraq — and he will get to see Sean again. "Sean looks more like me than Albert. Albert says every time he looks at Sean, he sees me," Hendrick Sr. said. "I spoke to Sean in Iraq. He calls me Dad. I told him I loved him and I missed him and to take care while he was over there," he said. "A couple of times, hospitals have been blown up, so they are in danger. It worries me a lot, but all I can do is pray to the Lord that Sean comes home safely and they'll both be all right." Hurley is an operating-room surgical-technician corpsman, and Hendrick Jr. is a sick-call and surgical-shock-trauma corpsman. Hendrick Jr. is still stunned by the chance meeting. "It was real crazy, to tell you the truth. It was unbelievable. I think it was fate. It was meant to be that we'd find each other," he said. "In many ways, we're like the same person. We're both so outgoing, and we both like to be the center of attention. We're both basically comedians. "We pretty much do everything together. We joke around together. We've got a real strong relationship right now. It's like we've been brothers the whole time." Hurley said he had suspicions the first time he saw his brother and instantly saw the resemblance — and more so when he learned he was from New York. Now, he's just thrilled to finally have a sibling. "I was so excited to have a brother — that was the biggest thing — because I was raised an only child," Hurley said. "I was always asking my mom for a brother or sister, and she said no. "And I didn't know anything about my dad — I had no pictures of him, nothing." Hendrick Jr., his wife, Theresa, and their two children spent time with Hurley, his wife, Tonnyann, and baby before the brothers were deployed in February. Theresa Hendrick runs a home day-care service at Lejeune — and one of the kids she looks after now is Jazmin, a niece she never knew she had.
SEA THE RESEMBLANCE: Sailors Albert Hendrick Jr. (left) and Sean Hurley together at a military hospital in Iraq. They learned of their family bond while playing cards.

Friday, May 20, 2005

USS America, Buried At Sea!

The carrier USS America (CV-66) now lies beneath the surface of the Atlantic, scuttled by the Navy. Pat Dolan, a spokesman for Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC, confirmed the “controlled” sinking took place at approximately 11:30 a.m. on May 14. The decommissioned ship, out of service since 1996, was the target of a series of tests designed to try out new defense and damage control systems for the CVN-21 carrier program. It was the largest ship deliberately sunk by the Navy. In fact, the America was the largest warship ever sunk by any means, in war or peace. Tom Tramantano, president of the USS America Carrier Veterans Association Inc., a group that had been trying to save the carrier and turn it into a museum, called it a “sad day.” “I feel I really haven’t had time to mourn,” said Tramantano, who served on the America as a lithographer third class during the ship’s 1968 Vietnam deployment. Tramantano said the group will now focus its efforts toward getting the next class of carriers named after the America. “There’s some anger in me that they would allow a ship with the country’s name to be sunk,” he said. “But I’m also proud that the testing may do some future good.”
USS America (CV-66)

Shipwreck Kills 13 In Jiangsu

A fishing vessel from the Laoba Port of Hai'an County in east China's Jiangsu Province, capsized at about 5:00 p.m. Thursday on the Yellow Sea, leaving 13 fishermen dead as of Friday afternoon. The tragedy took place at 32.47 north latitude, and 121.18 east longitude. The local government has organized the rescue operation immediately after the shipwreck while an investigation into the cause of the shipwreck is underway

107th Anniversary Of The Philippine Navy

SOME 7,000 islands make up The Philippines. Shipbuilding, fishing, inter-island trade and other sea-based industries dominate our country’s economy. For centuries, the sea has been the lifeblood of The Philippine people. The Filipino people are a maritime people.
Born and reared in or near the sea, our people have always been expert sailors, navigators, shipbuilders, and sea travelers. Until 1571, Filipino-made ships plied our country’s coasts and carried on maritime trade besides serving as vanguards of our people’s defense against foreign invaders. The Philippine Navy (PN) traces its roots to these early mariners. Its commanders carried lofty titles, such as "Kapitan-Laut" which means Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces, "Raja-Laut" which means chief of foreign and domestic trade, and "Nakoda" which means "Captain of the Fleet." We had huge warships. Foreign rulers brought about the decline of this seafaring tradition. The 1896 Philippine revolution, however, revitalized it. Using captured merchant ships, our sailors played a vital part in our struggle for freedom, ferrying men and materials from Manila to various parts of the country. World War II brought out the best qualities in our naval personnel. Fighting all odds, our small force of patrol boats made the Philippine Sea inhospitable to the enemy. The Philippine Navy is an active component of our government’s program today. Through the AFP Modernization Program, the PN’s capabilities have been enhanced to strengthen its role as a vanguard for national security, protector of the country’s territorial integrity, and preserver of our maritime resources. From being an instrument of The Philippine people’s quest for liberty it has become vehicle of our quest for progress. Today the Philippine Navy celebrates its 107th Anniversary with the theme "Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas Kaakibat Tungo sa Pagsulong ng Mapayapa, Maunlad, at Matatag na Republika." We congratulate the Philippine Navy headed by its Flag Officer in Command, Vice Admiral Ernesto H. de Leon, its Officers, men and women and other personnel on the occasion of its 107th Anniversary.

Mystery Of The Vanishing Ship, SOLVED!

A cargo ship which vanished last month after leaving Dubai Port heading for Iran was found by the UAE and Kuwait Interpol authorities in Kuwait. According to Lt-Col Abdulla Eissa Al Filasi, Director of Interpol at the Ministry of Interior, the ship, leased by a local businessman, was carrying electronic and electrical goods worth $2.5 million. It sailed off from Dubai Port for Iran on April 2 and was supposed to reach its destination but it vanished without any news about it till last week. The worried businessman reported the incident to the UAE Interpol. Lt-Gen. Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior, issued instructions for immediate action to solve the mystery of the ship. A team had been especially formed for the task. In a record time of 48 hours, the team managed to track the ship in Kuwait. According to investigation, the ship owner continued to manoeuvre during this period while talking to the businessman over the phone claiming that the vessel broke down, Lt-Col Filasi said. He said the ship owner in the meantime managed to make some changes in the ship. He headed for a port in Kuwait where he started to unload the vessel. But he could not unload some of the goods as that brand has an agent in Kuwait. Therefore he decided to store the goods thinking that he managed to get away with his crime. The UAE Interpol sent the businessman to the Kuwaiti port where he identified his goods. The culprit was then identified and arrested in cooperation with Kuwait Interpol authorities.

Thursday, May 19, 2005

French Trawlers Detained Off Co. Cork

Ireland's Naval Service has detained three French trawlers off the south coast on suspicion of breaching fishing regulations. The vessels were intercepted by the LE Ciara around 60 miles south-west of Mizen Head this morning. They are currently being escorted to Castletownbere in Co Cork, where they will be inspected by Department of Marine officials.
LE Ciara

Abductees Families Protest Return Of North Korean Ferry

Families of abductees staged protests Wednesday as the North Korean cargo ferry Man Gyong Bong-92 docked here Wednesday for the first time since late last year. The five-month hiatus allowed North Korean authorities to get mandatory insurance paperwork in order. On May 11, officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport examined the vessel's proof of insurance against oil spills and granted it permission to resume sporadic visits to Japan. About 100 protesters from the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea and others were on hand when the ferry tied up at the quay. ``We are really disappointed and regret that the government allowed the ship to enter,'' said Teruaki Masumoto, spokesman for the group. In March, a revision to the Law on Liability for Oil Pollution Damage took effect, requiring all foreign ships of 100 tons or more to carry protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance to cover costs from oil spills or running aground. The revision was widely seen as a way to ratchet up pressure on Pyongyang to resolve the abduction issue. The North Korean ferry-the only direct link for passengers and cargo between the two countries-last visited in December. In April, Pyongyang signed a contract to insure the ship with a P&I insurer based in Bermuda before applying for permission to the transport ministry in Tokyo for the ship to resume port calls. On its arrival, eight foreign vessel inspectors from the transport ministry's Hokuriku-Shinetsu District Transportation Bureau inspected the ship along with 70 customs and immigration officials. No violations were found. The vessel is scheduled to visit Niigata six times by the end of June..
Greeted by protesters, the North Korean ferry Man Gyong Bong-92 docks at Niigata port Wednesday.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Elderly Couple Likely Fell Off Cruise Ship

An elderly Vietnamese-American couple disappeared during a Caribbean cruise and probably fell overboard, officials said yesterday. The 71-year-old man and 67-year-old woman aboard the Carnival Destiny ship disappeared sometime Thursday between the islands of Barbados and Aruba, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Omar Barrera said. "The only logical conclusion it that they somehow fell overboard," Barrera said. Investigators found a few of the couple's belongings, including a purse and sandals, out in the open on the third floor of the ship, Barrera said. There were no signs that it was a case of suicide, because the couple were reportedly in good health and did not appear to have any serious personal problems, he said. The ship cancelled its visit to Aruba in order to join a search for the couple. It later went to St. Maarten instead, the company said. The cruise ended on schedule in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Carnival Destiny

Explosions Rock Russian Navy Base

A fire broke out at the Leningrad naval base near St. Petersburg in northern Russia today, setting off ammunition explosions that killed a woman and injured six other people, officials said. Rescuers found the body of the woman, a supervisor, toward the evening, said Russian Navy spokesman Capt Igor Dygalo in televised comments. One of the injured had burns over 40% of her body, said Andrei Alyabyev, spokesman for the St Petersburg and Leningrad regional emergency service. All the injured were workers on the Kronstadt base about 20 miles west of St Petersburg. The fire started in a section of the base where depth charges are stored, and the navy spokesman said it was caused by “careless handling” of the charges. Russian television footage showed one large shell blasting into the air from the fire site. Alyabyev said about 20 explosions were heard during the fire, which reportedly was brought under control several hours later.

Controversial North Korea Ferry To Resume Japan Trips

A North Korean ferry once suspected of carrying parts for Pyongyang's missile programme arrives in Japan tomorrow for the first time this year, reviving a key link between the reclusive communist state and the outside world. Increasing concerns that North Korea may carry out a nuclear test and lingering anti-North Korean sentiment stemming from abductions of Japanese citizens by Pyongyang's agents years ago mean the ship will hardly be welcomed by many Japanese. ''The country has said it has nuclear weapons and it is antagonising rest of the world,'' said Ryutaro Hirata, head of a group supporting families of Japanese abductees. ''Why should this ship be allowed to travel freely? Japan should impose sanctions and stop it from coming,'' said Hirata, whose group and others plan to greet the ferry with protests when it docks in the northern port of Niigata. It would be the first port call in Japan by the 9,672-tonne Mangyongbong-92 since since Japan tightened insurance requirements for foreign ships to pay for the cost of cleaning up accidental oil spills. It last made the trip in December. Japan toughened the requirements, which the Mangyongbong-92 initially failed to meet, after several uninsured North Korean ships grounded in Japanese waters in recent years, causing oil spills that had to be cleaned up at Japanese taxpayer expense. Japanese officials say Mangyongbong-92 is used to transport hard currency back to impoverished North Korea. In the year ended March 2004, cash totalling about $25 million was hand-carried directly from Japan to North Korea on board North Korean ships, mainly the Mangyongbong-92, according to the Japan's Ministry of Finance. Japanese investigators also believe the ship was previously used to smuggle drugs and missile parts. North Korean defectors have said more than 90 per cent of the parts used in North Korean missiles are imported from Japan. But inspections were tightened after North Korea admitted in 2002 to having abducted Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s to help train spies in Japanese language and culture. VITAL LINK TO HOMELAND A group representing pro-Pyongyang Koreans living in Japan said the ferry is a vital link between the two countries, which have no diplomatic ties. About 200 passengers, mainly students at Korean schools in Japan and other ethnic Koreans travelling to visiting relatives in North Korea, will board the ferry in Niigata, said a spokesman for the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon). ''It's a humanitarian mission. It has nothing to do with the nuclear issue,'' the spokesman said. In addition to cash, many passengers carry all sorts of goods -- from food to electronic appliances -- to support the meager livelihoods of their relatives in North Korea. About 600,000 Koreans live in Japan and about 150,000 of them consider themselves to be North Koreans. Most are descendants of Koreans who voluntarily came or were forcibly brought to Japan during its 1910-1945 colonisation of the Korean peninsula. Loyalty to the North, however, has been strained for some after North Korea admitted in 2002 that its agents had abducted Japanese nationals to help train spies. Korea experts have said the pro-Pyonyang Chongryon has suffered internal dissent brought on by disillusionment with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, and remittances to the communist state have dwindled over the years. The Chongryon spokesman said the group hoped that the ferry would be able to return to its former schedule of shuttling between Japan and North Korea every 10 days or so.
Mangyongbong-92

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

USS Mustin Rescues 27 in Persian Gulf

The crew of USS Mustin (DDG 89) rescued 27 people from Motor Vessel Olympias when an engine-room fire engulfed the vessel at 11 p.m. local time, May 11, in the Northern Persian Gulf. Mustin, currently conducting maritime security operations (MSO) in the area, responded immediately after receiving word from USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) of the vessel in distress. Vinson is also deployed to the Northern Persian Gulf conducting MSO and providing air support for multinational forces on the ground in Iraq. The crew of Olympias notified Vinson of the fire via bridge-to-bridge radio.
When crew members from the destroyer arrived on scene, they found the motor vessel’s superstructure burning and 27 people from Olympias jumping into a life raft. Mustin Sailors safely transferred 25 Indians, a Nepalese and one Sri Lankan to the destroyer’s rigid-hull inflatable boats, or RHIBs. Those aboard the Panamanian-flagged vessel boarded the U.S. Navy ship, where they received food, clothing and medical attention. Navy corpsmen report that all passengers are in good health.
The cause of the fire is unknown. Coalition maritime forces, like Mustin and Vinson, operate throughout international waters in the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea, conducting MSO. MSO sets the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment and complements the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations. MSO denies international terrorists use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons, or other material.
USS Mustin (DDG 89)

Parasite Scare Quarantines Houston Ship Channel

Two docks and part of a third at the Houston Ship Channel were quarantined today because some lumber was wrapped in rice straw. That straw is known to carry a parasite that's dangerous to plants. U-S Department of Agriculture inspectors became concerned about a lumber shipment aboard a Chinese vessel. Judy Turner with Customs and Border Protection in Houston says rice straw isn't allowed into the U-S without a permit and proof that it has been treated. Turner says the rice straw found today hadn't been certified as treated. She says officials don't believe it was an intentional shipment or an intentional threat or danger. While the parasite that can be found in the rice straw is harmful to plants, it poses no danger to humans. The areas were shut down while the wrapping material was removed and the lumber was cleaned.
Docks 27, 28 and a portion of 24 were quarantined.

Monday, May 16, 2005

Missing Sailor Rescued

A sailor is the in hospital in Townsville after surviving 13 hours in the water off Bowen Australia, in north Queensland. The 41-year-old sailor fell overboard from the 80-metre tanker, the Barrington, about midnight on Saturday. He was reported missing at 10:00am AEST yesterday, and the Australian Search and Rescue started a search operation. A group of recreational fishermen found the sailor 20 nautical miles north-east of Bowen several hours later, and he was airlifted to safety aboard a Queensland Rescue helicopter. The sailor was suffering hypothermia, dehydration and a suspected broken arm.
the Barrington

Injured Sailor Gets Welcome Home

A Navy construction specialist wounded in Iraq in April was given a tearful welcome home Friday. Will Briscoe, a Navy Seabee from Nampa, was pushed in a wheelchair through the glass doors at Boise's airport to cheers from friends and family members. His leg had been seriously injured in a bomb attack. After a month in a California hospital, Briscoe says he's looking forward to sleeping in his own bed. He'll spend another 30 days recovering here before rejoining his Navy unit -- possibly in Guam.
Sailor William Briscoe was injured in an explosion last month in Iraq.

How Can A Slave Ship Be A Good Idea?

A "SLAVE ship" employing cheap Chinese and Russian workers is operating off South Australian waters, in the world's first floating abalone harvesting farm. The Rann Government, which issued the permit allowing the farm to operate on the ship Destiny Queen, is now working to close loopholes it believes allows the venture to "unfairly" compete with land-based Australian abalone farmers. Transport Minister Patrick Conlon said the ship's owners also avoided paying tax on its export sales, estimated at $6million a year. The Maritime Union of Australia dubbed the Destiny Queen a "slave ship" because it had sourced "the cheapest possible labour it can exploit" and based them in waters outside immigration jurisdiction. Hong Kong-based shareholders in the Destiny Abalone Group reflagged the Destiny Queen from Australia to Hong Kong and sacked all but four of the 30 Australians on board, replacing them with foreign crew late last year. The change coincided with the Destiny Queen's return to South Australia after a four-month, $6million expansion and refit in China. It is now based 30 nautical miles offshore in the Spencer Gulf, and must move three miles every two weeks. The group's chief executive Lesley Wahlqvist refused to outline what the company paid the Russian and Chinese workers but said they did not require a visa to work in Australia because they did not come ashore. The ship also skirted federal laws requiring permits for foreign-flagged and crewed vessels sailing in Australian waters because it was anchored in South Australia and did not travel from port to port. "It's none of your business or anybody else's damned business," Ms Wahlqvist said. "To be blunt, there's a shitfight going on with the MUA. We meet all government regulations that apply to ships' crew; it's as simple as that." Chinese and eastern European crew are among the lowest paid in the world, earning as little as $US400 ($525) a month or as much as $US1550 if they are subject to international labour agreements. The Destiny Queen does not have such an agreement registered, according to a European Commission-operated international database of ship registries, Equasis. The MUA's Jamie Newlyn said the sacked Australian seafarers had earned up to $60,000 a year, while the abalone harvesters on board earned $35,000. Mr Conlon said he was very concerned that the Destiny Queen had "clearly found loopholes" and cabinet would need to consider changing laws. He said state government officials planned to board the ship "within weeks" to check compliance. "This is not a union issue," Mr Conlon said. "They are growing abalone in competition with Australian producers without being subject to laws and regulations ... and because they are not making any revenue in Australia, they are not subject to tax laws." Ms Wahlqvist confirmed all abalone grown in giant holding tanks on the Destiny Queen were exported direct to Hong Kong, selling for between $35 and $40 a kilogram. She said the Destiny Abalone Group chartered the ship from a Hong-Kong based owner.
A smaller boat alongside the 'Destiny Queen'

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Two French Trawlers Detained By Irish Navy

Two French fishing vessels have been detained by the Naval service overnight and are being escorted to Cobh in Co Cork by the L.E. Eithne (P 31). The Armor 2 was detained 85 miles south of Mizen head, on suspicion of breaching fishing regulations. Earlier, the Gure Ametza had been detained, also on suspicion of the fishing regulation breaches. Both vessels are expected to arrive in Cobh this afternoonn when officials from the Department of Marine will carry out an inspection.
the L.E. Eithne (P 31)

Iranian Cargo Ship Rescue 15 Pakistanis

An Iranian cargo ship and a fishing boat saved 15 out of 17 fishermen of a Pakistani boat that sank in rough waters, Pakistan fishermen's society said Friday. Safina-e-Adil, which had been missing after it sailed out from Karachi harbour on May 2, sank Wednesday off Balochistan's coastal village of Pushkan, the Fishermen's Cooperative Society (FCS) said quoted by the state APP news agency. The survivors are expected to reach Karachi fish harbour Saturday evening by a Pakistani boat, it said, adding that two crew were still missing. The FCS also said that the condition of two survivors was critical and they were unconscious when fishing boat Rab Razi rescued them Thursday. An unidentified Iranian cargo vessel had rescued 13 fishermen on Thursday evening and transferred them to a Pakistani boat. Search for remaining two fishermen is underway.

Friday, May 13, 2005

Army Sergeant Plots To Kill Navy Sailor

An Army sergeant who recently returned from Iraq plotted with a woman he met over the Internet to kill her husband, a Navy sailor, authorities said Wednesday. Sgt. Jason Cline, 27, and Sharonmarie Ball, 29, were indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury on a charge of attempted murder. The couple met on the Internet in 2002 and saw each other for the first time less than two weeks ago. Cline, who was stationed at Ford Hood, Texas, allegedly stabbed Petty Officer John J. Ball on April 5 with a knife on the chin and right hand, according to a federal complaint. Military police arrested him a few hours later near the scene of the attack on Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado. Ball was hospitalized but has been released, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra P. Serano. Michael Berg, Sharonmarie Ball's attorney, said his client told him she was a victim and had tried to stop the attack on her husband. Cline's attorney, Michael Petrik, did not return calls seeking comment. A complaint filed in U.S. District Court by FBI agent Michael Lombardi provides details of the plot: The night of his arrest, Cline told Navy criminal investigators that he had flown from Texas to Ontario, Calif. on March 31 to meet Sharonmarie Ball and "should the opportunity present itself, to kill John J. Ball." The two purchased a knife together two days before the alleged stabbing. Sharonmarie Ball and Cline agreed ahead of time that she would wait at the scene and "play the role of terrified widow" so she could claim full survivor and death benefits. On April 5, Sharonmarie Ball lured her husband to a prearranged spot where, Cline, dressed in camouflage pants and wearing a pair of his intended victim's shoes, attacked John Ball. The sailor got away and summoned help. Sharonmarie Ball drove off in her husband's pickup and was arrested a short time later.

Kilroy Was Here

The google-eyed, long-nosed cartoon figure of "Kilroy was here" fame -- first scrawled on a ship in Quincy's Fore River Shipyard during World War II's production push -- has gone on to attain cultural icon status.
The 1940s doodle that became ubiquitous on battleships, above urinals, even reportedly scrawled on the bellies of pregnant women, is today seen on television, in print, and, yes, on tanks in Iraq. Quincy, where it all started, wants the world to acknowledge and preserve Kilroy's claim to fame. Local historians are launching a campaign for a ''Kilroy Was Here" postage stamp, and are petitioning the Navy to name a ship the USS Kilroy Was Here. The city will celebrate the graffiti's local origins on Sunday, announcing winners of a Kilroy essay contest, hosting a scavenger hunt for the phrase aboard the USS Salem, and holding a ''pin the nose on Kilroy" game for youngsters, during a daylong event at the shipyard. History-minded residents are eager to record and preserve Kilroy's ''local boy" status before aging shipyard workers and veterans -- who can share their anecdotes about encountering Kilroy in latrines in France, or on the beaches of Okinawa -- pass away. Kilroy was born soon after the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. That's when ship inspector James J. Kilroy began working in the Fore River Shipyard. He took to scribbling ''Kilroy Was Here" in crayon or paint next to the rivets he inspected, to prevent workers from cheating and taking credit twice for the same work. Because of the rush to get ships into service, many of the more than 60 carriers, cruisers, destroyers, and landing craft made in Quincy during the war left the shipyard without a coat of paint belowdecks -- so the ''Kilroy was here" scribble was still visible on their raw interiors. ''You'd see 'Kilroy' written everywhere, and being young, I just said to myself, 'I wonder who Kilroy is' . . . We'd just say to each other, 'Oh, Kilroy was here,' " said Quincy resident Mildred Vento, 80, who dropped out of high school and went to work in the shipyard when she was 17. ''We just knew that Kilroy was very important." As sailors across the world began to see the words ''Kilroy Was Here" peppered across the walls of their ships, the words took on the power of a talisman, protecting them from torpedoes and typhoons. Initially, the graffiti ''was proof that someone had checked the construction of the ship, and they got it right -- you can bet your life on this ship," said Ron Adams, a teacher at Broad Meadows Middle School, who has been conducting oral interviews with veterans about ''Kilroy" for years.
During the pivotal invasion of Okinawa, in spring of 1945, Navy ships surrounded the Japanese island, bombarding it all night while a small force of men went ahead to secure the main beach. In the morning, those aboard scanned the shore with binoculars to see how effective the attack had been. They got their answer when they saw ''Kilroy Was Here" spelled out in plywood on the beach, Herbert Holmes, stationed aboard the Quincy-built USS Baltimore that day, said in an interview before his death. As he announced to his shipmates what he saw through the binoculars, a roar went up from the crew. It wasn't long before Kilroy began to make his mark well beyond the beachheads. Leonard Morris, a Quincy resident who began fighting in North Africa in 1942, and was at D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, said he saw ''Kilroy" everywhere, but had no idea who the guy was at the time. ''Every city and town that we went into, somebody painted ''Kilroy Was Here," said Morris, who first saw the graffiti somewhere in southern Germany. ''Walls, buildings, latrines -- you name it -- Kilroy was there. If they ever caught him, he would have been court-martialed." The legends around the myth grew as the sightings multiplied. One story had Adolf Hitler obsessed with Kilroy, driven mad by this elusive and unstoppable Allied super-spy. Joseph Stalin is said to have left the bathroom at the 1954 Potsdam Conference and asked his bodyguard who Kilroy was. And some say it has been traced in the dust of the moon, on France's Arc de Triomphe, and on the Statue of Liberty's torch. While most of the lore is anecdotal, the range of Kilroy stories is a testament to the power the phrase had during the war, and continues to have today. 'Kilroy Was Here' means something, said Michael Condon, director of the USS Salem, a Quincy-built battleship that is now a museum in the former Fore River shipyard property. ''It means that the US forces are there to protect you or save you." No one knew the origin of the phrase until after the war. In 1946, the American Transit Authority held a contest to discover its roots. James J. Kilroy, then a Halifax resident, won the contest by sharing the story of his authorship. A massive trolley car was delivered to his house as a prize, and his story became history. But in many ways, it was the mystery of the phrase that led to its power. ''It became a rallying cry in World War II and in Korea, and to this day, it still exists as an important icon for the military in the United States," said Dave Drummond, a former Quincy resident who wrote a history of the shipyard, and who will be back on Sunday to share his knowledge with visitors at the celebration. Condon said the goal of the ''Kilroy Was Here" campaign is to preserve the phrase and to lead people back to Quincy and the role the city played during the war. At the shipyard's peak, 58,000 people worked there, and a small city grew up around it. It was where Mildred Vento and her older sister, Dolly, would sing at night while their brothers fought in the war. ''I appreciate all that went on in the shipyard. There were many people that were killed or maimed permanently, from accidents in the yard," Vento said. ''I call them the unsung heroes."

Anti-American Sentenced In Court-Martial

A big sissy boy, whose refusal to go to Iraq has become a rallying point for anti-war activists, on Thursday had his pay cut and was sentenced to confinement to his base and hard labor.
Pablo Paredes
Muslim terrorist sympathizer Pablo Paredes, who refused to board the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) as it was preparing to sail from San Diego with 2,000 Marines in December, was convicted in a court-martial on a charge of missing his deployment. U.S. Navy Judge Robert Klant reduced Paredes' pay to the level of a basic recruit and ordered him to spend two months restricted to his Navy base with three months of hard labor. Paredes, who had faced a maximum sentence of up to a year in prison with a bad conduct discharge, declined to comment on the sentence. Navy spokesman Howard Samuelson said the Navy would not comment on Paredes' actions or sentence. Misguided Paredes, 23, said he refused to board the ship because he believed the war in Iraq was illegal and that taking part would mean participating in a war crime. He was not arrested that day and instead was told to leave. He surrendered to military authorities on Dec. 18, after applying for conscientious objector status. The Navy has denied his request but that ruling is being appealed. Paredes' case has prompted demonstrations in San Diego by those opposed to the U.S.A. Prosecutors showed Paredes is a self-serving, publicity-hungry fag who considered breaking a limb or testing positive for drugs to avoid deployment.
USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6)

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Ship Canal Closed By Tugboat Fire

The Harbor Patrol closed the Lake Washington Ship Canal for 20 minutes yesterday afternoon while the Fire Department responded to a boat fire. Seattle fire officials were called at 3:45 p.m. after the 125-foot tugboat Black Hawk caught fire near Northwest Leary Way and Northwest 40th Street, a fire department spokeswoman said. The owner and an employee evacuated the boat without incident. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Tugboat Black Hawk

Storm Causes Tugboat, Docked Barge To Sink

Winds gusting up to 65 miles an hour knocked out power to about 183-thousand Centerpoint Energy customers. Most of the power was expected to be back on by this morning. The Coast Guard says the storm also sank a Tugboat, Near the Bolivar Ferry landing around seven o’clock Sunday night. Four crew members on the tug "Matthew B" were able to jump to a barge before the boat sank. The crew of an anchored ship nearby let down a ladder and rescued three of the men and the fourth was rescued by a Coast Guard 47-foot rescue boat crew stationed in Galveston. None of the men were injured in the accident. The tug boat Mathew B. was pushing a barge with 58,800 gallons of diesel onboard when it began taking on water and sank. The barge broke free from the tug and was recovered by the tug boats San Thomas and Atlas who took it to be moored at pier 10 in Galveston. Ships passing by are being instructed to proceed at a slow speed. The cause of the accident is being investigated by Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Galveston.
Matthew B

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

USNS Pililaau (T-AKR 304), Largest Ship Ever To Use Port Of Olympia

The 950-foot long ship USNS Pililaau (T-AKR 304) is scheduled to arrive at the Port of Olympia bringing equipment home from the war in Iraq.
Port records indicate the Military Sealift Command ship would be the largest vessel ever to berth at The Port of Olympia, said port spokeswoman Patti Grant. The ship is one of 19 in the command’s category of Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off vessels, meaning vehicles can be driven onto it. The ship is named after Army Private First Class Herbert K. Pililaau, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for courageous service in the Korean War battle near Pia-ri on September 17, 1951. The military resumed use of the port for the first time in 17 years last year.

Cargo Ship Sinks After Collision

A Ugandan cargo ship sank in Lake Victoria after colliding with another vessel owned by the same company, but all 25 crew members were rescued, government officials said on Monday. The Kabalega and the Kaawa, also a cargo ship, collided early on Sunday about 60 nautical miles south of Port Bell on the Ugandan shores of Africa's biggest lake. Transport Minister John Nasasira said Ugandan experts would liaise with counterparts from neighbouring Tanzania and Kenya to discover the cause of the accident. Relatives cheered from Port Bell docks as the crew returned on the Kaawa and a third cargo ship after a rescue involving several speedboats, a light aircraft and a Ugandan army helicopter. The $8-million Kabalega, owned by Uganda Railways Corporation, was carrying 840 tons of wheat from Mwanza in northern Tanzania when it met the Kaawa travelling the other way. The ship's insurance had lapsed, Nasasira said. Tim Cooper, a pilot who flew his Cessna plane over the Kabalega, said the Belgian-built vessel was lying on its side leaking oil. It took eight hours to sink. "We are talking of a vessel as big as a block of flats ... slowly sinking to 160 feet below the water surface," he told the state-owned New Vision newspaper. In Lake Victoria's worst shipping disaster, more than 800 people drowned in May 1996 when a ferry from the Tanzanian port of Bukoba capsized on its way to Mwanza.
The MV Kabalega

A Lake Rescue rapid response craft escorts MV Kaawa back to Port Bell

The damaged MV Kaawa during inspection of the ferry at Port Bell, Luzira yesterday

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Missing Sea Bee Ship Located

The Sea Bee ship of the Dong Long Sea Transport Company of the Viet Nam Marine University, which went missing on May 1, was found sunk off the coast of Shanghai by the Eastern Shanghai sea rescue centre of China. The ship was found at northern latitude 32-53-5, eastern longitude 122-57-05, at a depth of 30 m, about 100 nautical miles off Shanghai's coast on the international sea route. Only the body of the ship's chief mechanic Dam Co Van has been found so far. As by 10 a.m on May 9, the Viet Nam Marine University still had no information about the remaining 22 crew members. The Sea Bee ship, which was carrying 5,000 tonnes of steel from Quinghuang Dao of China to Manila in the Philippines is reported to have sent out emergency signals to the Eastern Shanghai sea rescue centre.. The ship had 23 crew aboard. The marine university has been keeping in regular contact with the Eastern Shanghai sea rescue centre and the Viet Nam Centre for Research and Rescue about the search for the missing sailors. It is also working with the Vietnamese Embassy in China to take measures to overcome the aftermath.

Sailor Rescued Off Va., Second Sailor Dead

One of two Sailors who abandoned their boat in rough seas hundreds of miles off the Virginia coast was found Monday and pulled to safety on a merchant ship, the Coast Guard said. The other sailor was found dead. Lochlin Reidy, 58, from Woodbridge, Conn., was spotted about 4 a.m. after a Coast Guard plane saw a strobe light in the ocean about 400 miles east of Virginia Beach, said Officer Krys Hannum, a Coast Guard spokeswoman. He was taken aboard the merchant vessel Sakura Express, a Panamanian-flagged tanker that was helping with the search. His condition was not immediately available. Later Monday, Thomas Tighe, 65, from Patterson, N.Y., was found dead in the water. His body recovered by the Sakura Express crew, the Coast Guard said. The three other sailors on the boat told authorities Tighe and Reidy got into a life raft after the 45-foot sailboat began taking on water from 16- to 20-foot seas. The life raft broke away, and it was found empty late Sunday. The three who stayed on the boat were rescued Sunday night and airlifted to Nantucket, Mass. Kelly Newlin, a Coast Guard spokeswoman in Boston, said the three had no major injuries and were in good condition Monday at Nantucket Cottage Hospital. The five were on a voyage from Bridgeport, Conn., to Bermuda when they encountered the severe weather, including wind topping 35 mph. The Coast Guard picked up their electronic distress signal around 6 a.m. Sunday. The three sailors rescued Sunday were identified as Ronald Burd, from Dover, N.H., Christopher Ferrer, from Sterling, Mass., and Kathleen Gilchrist, from Bloomfield, N.J. The Coast Guard also rescued six people Saturday and Sunday off North Carolina after nasty weather battered their sailboats.

Monday, May 09, 2005

132 Migrants Rescued From Overloaded 50-Foot Boat

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Dependable repatriated 132 Haitian migrants to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, this morning at 10:00. The migrants were rescued from their dangerously overloaded 50-foot sail freighter after five days at sea 10 miles south of West Caicos Island in the Caribbean. The migrants were spotted by an Operations Bahamas and Turks and Caicos helicopter early Saturday morning. That evening, the Dependable and an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Traverse City, Mich., were on scene to assist with disembarking the migrants from the sail freighter. The migrants were in good condition, and their vessel was destroyed as a hazard to navigation. Once on board Coast Guard cutters, all migrants receive food, water, and any necessary medical attention. Determination of a migrant's status is made by the U.S. Government and coordinated by Homeland Security immigration officials.
The Dependable is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter out of Cape May, N.J.

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