A 75m cargo vessel suffered an engine power failure before it crashed into moored boats on the River Medina, reports BBC.
Cargo ship strikes moored boats
At around 19:00, the cargo vessel, which was under the guidance of a Cowes Pilot, lost engine power while transiting the River Medina.
Cowes Harbour Commission says that emergency procedures were immediately initiated, with the vessel’s anchor deployed to slow and control its movement. Despite these actions, the vessel continued drifting and made contact with a moored yacht and motorboat before coming to a complete stop.
During the incident, the yacht’s moorings were parted and it became entangled with the cargo ship’s bow. Fortunately, no one was on board the moored vessels at the time, and the crew of the Shetland Trader escaped injury.
Local boat owners assisted in safely detaching the yacht from the bow of the cargo vessel before securing it alongside a pontoon. The Shetland Trader later regained engine power, recovered its anchor, and continued to the commercial wharf in Cowes.
Cowes Harbour Commission staff were quickly on scene to assist in the recovery operation and to carry out initial inspections of the affected vessels. They also boarded the Shetland Trader to take statements from both the vessel’s Master and the Pilot.
A full investigation into the incident is now underway, with all relevant authorities and vessel owners informed.
A spokesperson for Cowes Harbour Commission has said: “We would like to thank all those who assisted during and after the incident for their cooperation and prompt response.”
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Source: BBC
