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Post by beth on Aug 31, 2014 20:56:57 GMT -5
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Post by beth on Aug 31, 2014 20:58:14 GMT -5
It's September already. Might as well enjoy it.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2014 21:30:42 GMT -5
Bring on September. +
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2014 22:42:06 GMT -5
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Post by mouse on Sept 1, 2014 4:04:21 GMT -5
today started off grey and drizzle..but is gradually improving and in general we are told its going to be better for the next two weeks...cars in for a service so no interesting trots today will garden this afternoon and joy grandson 2 is back at college...much as I love him he does get under my feet....
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Post by markindurham on Sept 1, 2014 11:06:45 GMT -5
Well, as a change from routine operations, we have received a call from the Italian Navy to investigate a reported small boat off the Libyan coast which seems to be heading towards Europe...
...no prizes for guessing what THIS might be, of course...
So, ship battened down for security purposes, cargo nets ready in case this is a rescue situation...
...and we will see what transpires...
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Post by markindurham on Sept 1, 2014 11:59:47 GMT -5
And on station, proceeding towards said vessel...
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Post by markindurham on Sept 1, 2014 13:02:48 GMT -5
Well, the Italian Navy has advised that poor weather is coming, so we and a small chemical tanker have been tasked with collecting this fishing boat full of migrants between us, getting the people on board and taking them to Sicily...
For information, we're pretty much north-west of Tobruk, to give an approximate position. You will appreciate that I can't say more than that.
As you can imagine, we are having to take our own safety very seriously too; this is not a good situation to be in. Where do you put dozens of people on a small ship without endangering ourselves? The Master, Chief Officer and myself, as the ship's Management Team, have now got some very serious decisions to make.
Will report when I can.
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Tempus Fugit
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Post by Tempus Fugit on Sept 1, 2014 15:26:05 GMT -5
Well, the Italian Navy has advised that poor weather is coming, so we and a small chemical tanker have been tasked with collecting this fishing boat full of migrants between us, getting the people on board and taking them to Sicily... For information, we're pretty much north-west of Tobruk, to give an approximate position. You will appreciate that I can't say more than that. As you can imagine, we are having to take our own safety very seriously too; this is not a good situation to be in. Where do you put dozens of people on a small ship without endangering ourselves? The Master, Chief Officer and myself, as the ship's Management Team, have now got some very serious decisions to make. Will report when I can. Are you on an Italian-flag, then? You want to watch that - the Allseas boys don't let them set foot on their laybarges in the Med' because as soon as the are on the are able to claim asylum in Holland, the barges being Dutch-flagged. They always keep them in their skifs, in the lee of the hull, with water and rations provided until the Tunisian/Libyan/Maltese SAR/Navy rock up to collect them. Last one we saw, a Tunisian patrol boat came, took them onboard, seated them on the tiny foredeck then took off through 2m swells at 45kts. I imagine the idea was that there weren't any asylum seekers to process by the time they cleared the fairway for Tunis. I imagine they can claim asylum to flag-state on any other deck, too - it being regarded as that countries territory.
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Post by beth on Sept 1, 2014 15:30:46 GMT -5
That sounds absolutely harrowing, Mark.
All the best.
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Post by markindurham on Sept 1, 2014 19:43:04 GMT -5
Um, never a dull moment here - we are involved in getting 220, that's 220 assorted refugees (looking at them, read 'economic migrants') off an overloaded fishing boat, per request of the Italian navy. We're the on scene coordinator vessel & have taken 50 of 'em on board; 2 bigger ships are taking 85 each, & we're then to proceed direct to Sicily...
$6000/head, we understand. I've got some pics of the boat involved & also shots of who we believe is the head snakehead involved; these will be passed to the authorities...
No prizes for guessing where they'll intend to go, of course...
Second ship has loaded its quota, the third one has commenced loading, as it were, so hopefully not too long before we get under way.
We're well aware of the possibility of some of the buggers quoting the 'a' word; would be a problem for us, as we're Dutch flag. We will see...
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Tempus Fugit
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Post by Tempus Fugit on Sept 1, 2014 19:50:55 GMT -5
Um, never a dull moment here - we are involved in getting 220, that's 220 assorted refugees (looking at them, read 'economic migrants') off an overloaded fishing boat, per request of the Italian navy. We're the on scene coordinator vessel & have taken 50 of 'em on board; 2 bigger ships are taking 85 each, & we're then to proceed direct to Sicily... $6000/head, we understand. I've got some pics of the boat involved & also shots of who we believe is the head snakehead involved; these will be passed to the authorities... No prizes for guessing where they'll intend to go, of course... Second ship has loaded its quota, the third one has commenced loading, as it were, so hopefully not too long before we get under way. We're well aware of the possibility of some of the buggers quoting the 'a' word; would be a problem for us, as we're Dutch flag. We will see... Not a problem for "us" until they get to Zeebrugge and slip into a container. ; )
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Post by markindurham on Sept 1, 2014 21:29:24 GMT -5
That's us under way now. The fishing boat has been abandoned, although an officer from the third rescue ship has bravely boarded it first & switched on some lights before it was cast adrift. (No, there's no movie-style "opening the sea cocks" sinking going to happen - what a load of c**k that old saw is...). The Rome RCC, who agreed this course of action, has promulgated a Notice to Mariners warning others of the derelict's presence, so we are now going to make a passage towards Sicily.
So, we have to keep 50 bods fed, watered & calm until Italy's finest come & meet us...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2014 22:39:01 GMT -5
lol I have a toe chasser ... second in preference only to shadows and the red dot.
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Post by beth on Sept 2, 2014 0:20:25 GMT -5
That's us under way now. The fishing boat has been abandoned, although an officer from the third rescue ship has bravely boarded it first & switched on some lights before it was cast adrift. (No, there's no movie-style "opening the sea cocks" sinking going to happen - what a load of c**k that old saw is...). The Rome RCC, who agreed this course of action, has promulgated a Notice to Mariners warning others of the derelict's presence, so we are now going to make a passage towards Sicily. So, we have to keep 50 bods fed, watered & calm until Italy's finest come & meet us... Sounds like quite an ordeal. I know you're up to the challenge, Mark. Take care and be safe.
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