Burning OSV Abandoned and Crew Rescued Off South Africa
Crew Rescued After Fire on South African Tugboat
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) announced that a crew of 15 was safely evacuated after a fire broke out on a tugboat off the southern coast of South Africa. The vessel, called AM Pride, was assisting an offshore oil platform owned by PetroSA (Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa) when the emergency happened on September 12.
The fire started in the messroom of the AM Pride, which is an anchor handling vessel built in 2006. At the time of the fire, the boat was about 48.5 nautical miles south of Mossel Bay, a well-known coastal town in the Western Cape region of South Africa. Due to poor weather conditions, with strong winds blowing at 30 knots and high sea waves between 3.5 to 5 meters (around 11 to 16 feet), the crew had to quickly prepare to abandon the ship. Visibility was also poor, making the situation more dangerous.
A May Day distress call was made, and SAMSA took charge of the rescue operation. Two large bulk carrier ships, Angelic Peace and Thunderbird, which were in the area, were asked to help. However, a PetroSA helicopter managed to reach the lifeboats launched by the AM Pride crew. The helicopter airlifted eight sailors from one life raft to safety on a nearby platform vessel. The other seven crew members were also rescued from another raft and flown to shore. The first group of rescued sailors will spend the night on the platform and be brought to land the next day.
Meanwhile, an emergency towing vessel named Mikhuseli, owned by AMSOL (African Maritime Solution), is on its way to help the burning tugboat. It is expected to arrive at the site of the incident by 7:30 a.m. on Friday. The plan is to tow the damaged vessel to a safe harbor chosen by its owners.
This quick and successful operation shows the readiness of South Africa’s maritime rescue services. Thanks to the teamwork between SAMSA, PetroSA, and the vessels nearby, all the crew members were rescued without injury, and efforts are now focused on saving the vessel itself.
