RORO Ship Near Sussex Coast Reports Engine Fire & Total Loss Of Power

A 33,000-ton RORO ship issued a Mayday distress call reporting an engine fire, after which Eastbourne RNLI’s lifeboat Esme Anderson was launched.

The call came at 5:21 am when the roll-on/roll-off ship, 11 miles southeast of Eastbourne, reported total loss of power and onboard fire.

When the lifeboat reached the ship, its crew had already extinguished the fire, but it was left adrift without power.

An Eastbourne RNLI spokesperson said that when they arrived, nobody needed evacuation. The crew were asked to stand by the 217 m ship as the team worked to deploy the anchor.

The crew members of the rescue team stood for more than an hour in rough sea conditions until the anchor was safely deployed.

Once the ship was secured, Solent Coastguard released the lifeboat, allowing the crew to return to the station.

The Coastguard remained in touch with the ship’s crew when repairs were undertaken.

Source: Maritime Shipping News