Ship’s Master thanks NSRI
Following the amazing effort by NSRI the skipper of the SA Amandla, the ship that was able to tow the stricken tugboat and ship to safety wrote the following to the crews involved.
Dear Ian Gray, Station Commander NSRI Port Elizabeth
Please see below from Capt Duse – I would like to echo his comments.
Many thanks, you and your team managed to alleviate what could have been a very serious maritime incident.
Best regards
Dave Murray | BU Manager : Offshore Marine Services
“I would like to forward my deepest and sincere appreciation and thanks to the NSRI teams – Rescue 21 St Francis and Rescue 37 Jeffrey’s Bay and their base support teams that came out to give support and medical standby during the time of the bridle wire recovery and tow connection. We had on this occasion had to work as close as <5 meters from the bulbous bow of the MT ORDER to recover the very short bridle pennant on deck. It was comforting and morale up lifting to all onboard to have the rescue teams in close standby should any immediate evacuation of crew had been required
I take my hat off to those guys who offer their time and life for the preservation of life to all connected with the seas.
Well done to all… Give them all a Bells from us
Kind regards
The Master , Officers and crew
Russel Duse
Master – m.t. “SA Amandla”
At 19h30, Friday, 04th May, NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew were alerted following reports of the Tug Boat AHT Carrier reporting that while towing the MT Order (towing to Maputo) the towing rope had separated and rope had fouled the tug boats one motor tethering her to the casualty boat. She was unable to recover the tow rope to re-attach a towline to the casualty vessel and reporting that effectively both the tug boat and the casualty vessel were drifting shorewards in the currents but at that stage still at least 15 nautical miles off-shore.
Wow, that was wonderful! Thank you to all involved and that no lives were lost. Praise God for the overall protection.