Watch: Dutch Coast Guard Rescues Rudderless Cargo Ship In Violent North Sea Storm

The Valday, a short-sea cargo vessel with no cargo onboard, lost its rudder and anchors, drifting helplessly about 14 miles off the coast near Rotterdam.

The Dutch Coast Guard received the emergency call in the morning, reporting that the 82-meter-long vessel, with seven crew members aboard, was in danger of running aground.

The stormy weather conditions, with 13-foot waves and winds gusting up to 54 knots, made the rescue effort extremely challenging.

The Multraship Commander, an emergency tug, was the first to attempt to tow, but the rough seas made it difficult to secure a line to the vessel.

During one of these attempts, a crew member from the tug was injured, and a Coast Guard helicopter had to airlift the crew to hospital. Two other people were also slightly injured during the rescue efforts.

Video Credits: Allan Jordan/YouTube

Another tugboat was called in for help to secure the drifting vessel in the violent storm but failed to secure a towline. As time passed, the weather began to improve in the afternoon, allowing rescue teams to try again.

The Multraship Commander was able to secure a towline with support from a lifeboat named Antoinette from the Netherlands. By 4:00 p.m., the tug was successfully towing the Valday toward the port of Rotterdam, avoiding a potential disaster.

The Valday is managed from Latvia and registered in Antigua and Barbuda.

Nicole Kuipers, Director of the Dutch Coast Guard, expressed gratitude for the hard work of the rescue teams. She said that the operation showed just how dangerous working on the North Sea in such conditions can be and she wished the injured crew members a speedy recovery.

Shipping in the North Sea, English Channel and Irish Sea were severely impacted, with several vessels reporting engine problems or difficulties staying anchored.

The storm also caused damage on land, including a warehouse collapse in Groningen and solar panels being blown onto cars.

References: Shipping Telegraph

Source: Maritime Shipping News