Bulk Carrier Sinks in Yellow Sea, All 14 Crew Rescued
All 14 crew of a bulk carrier have been rescued after their ship flooded and sank in the southern Yellow Sea, off the east coast of China, on 9 November. The Yellow Sea lies between eastern China and the Korean Peninsula, and the rescue was coordinated from Lianyungang, a port city in Jiangsu province. The ship’s name has not been reported.
According to Chinese media reports, the vessel was carrying steel when water entered its lower compartments, putting it at risk of sinking. A cold wave had brought strong winds and rough seas to the area, and China’s Ministry of Transport had issued a marine weather warning for the southern Yellow Sea.
From the CrewMirror Blog
After the distress call, the Lianyungang Maritime Search and Rescue Center coordinated the response with the East China Sea Rescue Bureau. A specialised rescue ship and two helicopters were sent to the scene. Rescuers worked in winds of Beaufort Force 8 and waves about four metres high, and all 14 crew were taken off safely. Chinese outlet The Beijing News reported that the bulk carrier later sank.
At about 14:00 local time the same day, the Lianyungang Maritime Safety Administration issued a navigational warning telling ships to keep clear of the area. The cause of the flooding has not been established. The same rough weather season has hit other ships in Asian waters, with a bulk carrier dragging anchor and grounding in central Vietnam on 9 November and a landing craft sinking in rough seas in the southern Philippines a day later.
CrewMirror Takeaway
Flooding of lower spaces in heavy weather can sink a deeply loaded ship quickly. Crews on bulk carriers carrying dense cargo such as steel should treat bilge and water-ingress alarms seriously in storms and keep abandon-ship equipment ready whenever a weather warning is in force.
