Shock In Mauritius: Wakashio Support Vessel Sinks
Update: overnight reports had initially indicated the oil barge had sunk.Videotaken by local fishermen on 1 September morning revealed the oil barge drifting unattached along the coast of Mauritius. There was no satellite anti-collision tracking transponder on the oil barge.
In an incredible new development overnight on Monday 31 August, a major operation is underway in Mauritius as a barge carrying oil from the stricken Japanese iron-ore vessel The Wakashio collided with a tug boat pulling it.
The tug boat - which had been involved in the Wakashiosalvage operation - has sunk in the coral lagoon and a major operation is underway to rescue the 8 crew from the water under darkness.
There is still much confusion about the circumstances and events of the sinking.
According to reports from local media present on the scene, the Mauritius Port Authority tug boat, called the ‘Sir Gaetan Duval,’ was towing the oil barge back to the harbor capital city, Port Louis.
It had been travelling from the location of the Wakashio oil spill in Pointe d’Esny in the South East of the country, and was heading North around the island.
Both vessels appeared to be around 30 miles North of the original crash site of the Wakashio when they ran into trouble. This is around 20 miles North of where dozens of whales and dolphinshad washed up dead on Mauritius’ coasts in the past few days.
According to a statement released by the Mauritian Port Authority, the oil barge was called the ‘l’Ami Constant’and owned by Mauritian maritime services company, Taylor Smith. The statement also confirmed that the vessel was transporting oil from the Wakashio.
Satellite tracking of the ‘Sir Gaetan Duval’ boat reveal the unsteady path following the collision.
Local officials reported that at 7.40pm on Monday 31 August, the tug boat encountered difficulties with the heavy swells and the oil barge and tug boat collided in the darkness.
Following the collision, water started coming on board the tug boat and the crew jumped into two life rafts. Due to conditions in the water at the time, the life rafts overturned.
One crew member was rescued by helicopter and transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Three others were rescued over the course of the evening, with four remaining missing.
Local media are reporting at least three coastguard vessels, other tug boats, local fishermen and multiple Mauritian Government helicopters and aircraft are involved in the major rescue operation which is taking place under the cover of darkness in the North of the island.
According to the Head of the Mauritius National Coastguard, all crew had been wearing life vests at the time of the tug boat sinking.
The Mauritius Port Authority has four tug boats and the ‘Sir Gaetan Duval’ had been built in 1993.
