On May 26, a barge capsized and sank in the Dordtse Kil after it collided with another vessel.
What happened?
The barge ‘Coxswain’ capsized and sank in the Dordtse Kil, a freeway which connects the Hollands Diep with the Oude Maas, after the colliding with another vessel ‘Somtrans XIII’ enroute from Amsterdam.
Both the vessels were heading in the same direction at the time of the accident. The barge was loaded with artificial fertilizer when it went down.
Crew rescued
The crew members of the barge were saved by the people present in nearby leisure boats. The captain of the barge was slightly injured during the collision.
Preliminary measurements taken by the fire brigade showed that the cargo did not cause a pollution but it was discovered that fuel was leaking from the ship’s tanks.
As a precautionary measure to prevent the chemical from spreading, protective equipment was placed around the ship. The vessel was resting bottom up in the fairway with the bow protruding from the water.
Freeway blocked
The Dordtse Kil freeway was blocked for larger ships, while inland vessels were allowed to pass the site slowly under supervision.
The vessel Somtrans XIII proceeded to Gravendeel with its own power after the accident.
An investigation has been launched to look into the incident and to determine the cause of collision.
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Source: KNRM
