A strong storm was due to hit Lisbon in the night of March 8 and expected to continue throughout March 9, reports Vessel tracker. So as a precautionary action, all 14 people aboard the “Betanzos” were taken off in the afternoon at 4pm. by an EH 101-Merlin-helicopter, from Lusa and were dropped off at the Montijo Air Base.
Among them were 10 crew members, two members of the Dutch salvage company hired by the owners to oversee salvage operations, and two representatives of the owner who had come on board after the grounding. All were safely relocated.
The tug “Fairmount Alpine” (IMO: 9344784) had arrived from Gibraltar in Lisbon on March 8, but it was not certain when she would be able resume the towing attempts of the vessel in the light of the worsening weather forecasts in the area.
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Source: TVI24
