At five o'clock in the morning, Swedish Coast Guard got the alarm from a bulk carrier named M/V KERTU which is 2874 gross tons and 90 meters long have been due at Rural Area in the Stockholm archipelago.
Flights and ship KBV 311, 031 and 002 of the Coast Guard are on their way to the crash site. There are holes in the hull and double-bottom fuel has leaked from a tank. On board the disabled vessel is now working with the oil from the damaged tank to an undamaged tank.
Multipurpose vessel KBV 002 Triton can handle larger volumes of oil, extinguish fires at sea. The ship has equipment for powerful oil pickup and lightering equipment, which allows pumping of oil from one vessel to another. They also have equipment for fire fighting and emergency towing.
There is a strong wind at the accident site. At present there is no danger to the crew. The ship has come loose and is heading for an anchorage.
Coast Guard Northeast region is in contact with Transport Agency Accident Investigation Board, and the municipality.
That ship has been evacuated this afternoon because it takes in water. The master and engineer officers and personnel from the Coast Guard is still on board to try to pump water out of the ship.
It was about five o'clock in the morning, the Coast Guard received an emergency to a bulk carrier on 2874 gross tons and 90 meters long have been due at Rural Area in the Stockholm archipelago.
Coast Guard air and ship KBV 311, 031 and 002 arrived to the crash site.There are holes in the hull and double-bottom fuel has leaked from a tank. On board the disabled vessel was healed of oil from the damaged tank to an undamaged tank.
One of the Coast Guard's major multipurpose vessel KBV 002 Triton arrived at 12 o'clock and is equipped to handle larger volumes of oil, nödbogsera and extinguish fires at sea. The ship has equipment for powerful oil pickup and lightering equipment, which allows pumping of oil from one vessel to another.They also have equipment for fire fighting and emergency towing.
During the afternoon, the ship has taken in water and the Maritime Administration has launched a search and rescue operation. At present, experiments that the Coast Guard vessel to pump out water from the ship.
The Swedish Coast Guard estimated that the situation on board the "Kertu" has been stabilized. Later in the evening, the ship shall be taken to Oxelosund for an examination of the damages. First it was very severe weather with 3-4 meter high waves which hampered salvage efforts.
But later the wind has calmed down somewhat, and the Coast Guard has been able to get over more bilge pumps. Timewise between 50 and 75 percent of the cargo hold of "Tertu" filled with water, but with the help of the Coast Guard the water level was now declining with eight centimeters per hour.
The Coast Guard was unable to say anything about how the accident could happen, but that an investigation will be started. The ship had been evacuated in the afternoon because it takes in water.
The master and chief engineer and personnel from the Coast Guard remained on board to try to pump water out of the ship. The Coast Guard aircraft Lifeguard 906 and the vessels "KBV 311", "KBV 03", "KBV 480" and "KBV 002" as well as the "Pilot 111" were on scene. Oil was pumped from the damaged tank to an undamaged tank. The multipurpose vessel "KBV 002 Triton" arrived at noon. During the afternoon, the ship has taken in more water, and the Maritime Administration has launched an SAR operation, trying to pump out water from the ship. The seven crew members who were evacuated have been taken care aboard the Coast Guard vessel "KBV 031".
They were unharmed and in good spirits.
The first Coast Guard ship on scene had been the "KBV 311" at 7.20 a.m. At 8.45 a.m. the ship came off and reported water in the hold at 11.20 a.m. As the pumps could not cope with the flooding, an SAR Operation was launched and the "Lifeguard 906" in Nörrtalje alerted. The pilot boat 111 headed for the casualty to put on board a pilot to guide the ship to Oxelösund. At 11.35 the "KBV 480" arrived and put on board two men to assess the Situation.
At noon the "Kertu" listed five degrees to starboard. 15 minutes later seven of the crew were taken off. At 1.20 p.m. the tug "Freja" arrived. Winds on Scene were 8-10 meters per second. At 1.40 p.m. the "Lifeguard 906" headed to Skavsta Airport to refuel. As the seas subsided somewhat, two additional pumps could be transferred aboard. With several pumps running at 2.45 p.m. the situation improved. At 2.45 p.m. the pilot boat was released and returned to Landsort, the helicopter returned to Norrtälje. The SAR Operation ended at 3.30 p.m., turning the Mission into an environmental rescue effort with the Coast Guard being responsible. There was no estimation yet if or where lost fuel could come ashore.