Drama off the coast of Cornwall

[Getragdogleg]

It would seem the Large ro-ro carrier the "Mazarine" has got herself into difficulties off the coast of West Cornwall and has hit the Wolf Rock while drifting without power.

She is now unstuck and is being attended to by the Sennen Lifeboat and the Penlee lifeboat. a SAR helicopter is also in attendance.

The Tug "Mercia" is coming over from Falmouth to get a line on the Mazarine as she seems to be drifting toward Mounts bay and the Lizard.

It is unknown if Mazarine has been damaged from hitting the Wolf rock.

The vessel was on route from Ireland to Zeebrugge.

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/li...

Apologies for the Cornwall live link but its got the best pics and updates so far.

[G7orge]

[Getragdogleg]

The pic of the vessel and the Wolf Rock Lighthouse really put it into perspective how small the Lifeboats are !

[G7orge]

Crikey! - yes thats unbelievable.

[ecsrobin]

Not sure why someone decided to launch the helicopter for that

[Getragdogleg]

Practice, mind you the last big thing to hit one of our available rocks in this area made a bit of a mess and took a while to clean up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Torrey_Canyon

[Getragdogleg]

And here's a little history of Wolf Rock. I've fished below her a few times and its massive from a small boat !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Rock_Lighthouse

[ecsrobin]

Getragdogleg said:

Practice, mind you the last big thing to hit one of our available rocks in this area made a bit of a mess and took a while to clean up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Torrey_Canyon

It doesn’t work like that, they conduct separate training. Looking at flightradar this was a tasking.

[craig1912]

Mercia (a tug on its way)

[MBBlat]

ecsrobin said:

Not sure why someone decided to launch the helicopter for that

Because if she did get holed below the waterline things could go very wrong quite quickly, so it’s better to have the helicopter on scene rather than 30minutes flight away.

[Dingu]

ecsrobin said:

Not sure why someone decided to launch the helicopter for that

Probably why you aren’t in charge.

[ecsrobin]

MBBlat said:

Because if she did get holed below the waterline things could go very wrong quite quickly, so it’s better to have the helicopter on scene rather than 30minutes flight away.

I completely understand that but a commercial vessel with no reported injured crew with a suitable lifeboat.

Dingu said:

Probably why you aren’t in charge.

[Dashnine]

MBBlat said:

ecsrobin said:

Not sure why someone decided to launch the helicopter for that

Because if she did get holed below the waterline things could go very wrong quite quickly, so it’s better to have the helicopter on scene rather than 30minutes flight away.

Especially when they can park it on the lighthouse until needed before they go bingo on fuel...

[ecsrobin]

Dashnine said:

Especially when they can park it on the lighthouse until needed before they go bingo on fuel...

Think it’s only rated to 3.6T

[MBBlat]

ecsrobin said:

MBBlat said:

Because if she did get holed below the waterline things could go very wrong quite quickly, so it’s better to have the helicopter on scene rather than 30minutes flight away.

I completely understand that but a commercial vessel with no reported injured crew with a suitable lifeboat.

Dingu said:

Probably why you aren’t in charge.

The helicopter would have been launched as a precautionary measure before much information was known, it would also have been able to survey the area and check for any oil spillage. It’s now RTB, so presumably no immediate danger, the ship itself seems to have been dislodged from the rock and is now drifting towards Cornwall.

[ecsrobin]

MBBlat said:

The helicopter would have been launched as a precautionary measure before much information was known, it would also have been able to survey the area and check for any oil spillage. It’s now RTB, so presumably no immediate danger, the ship itself seems to have been dislodged from the rock and is now drifting towards Cornwall.

That’s 2 separate things. There’s the tasking of the aircraft for those in imminent danger and there’s looking for pollution from the secretary of state’s representative (SOSREP) the latter doesn’t fall under CAP999 from memory so like training have to conduct that sortie under commercial air transport regulations which have more limitations.

Anyway good to read it’s off the rock as that will make it much easier for the tug.

[Getragdogleg]

Annoyingly enough the weather has come in a bit foul and I cant see it all going on anymore.

I had a good view through my binoculars earlier for a bit but I cant even see St Michaels Mount now and I'm only a couple of miles away from it up the hill.

Tug is alongside so hopefully has a line to.

[ecsrobin]

Getragdogleg said:

Annoyingly enough the weather has come in a bit foul and I cant see it all going on anymore.

I had a good view through my binoculars earlier for a bit but I cant even see St Michaels Mount now and I'm only a couple of miles away from it up the hill.

Tug is alongside so hopefully has a line to.

Had it drifted very far from the rock?

[Getragdogleg]

It was away from Wolf after lunch, its been steadily moving North-East -ish on the wind, the tide has been dropping as low tide is 17.42pm so at the moment the current is one way wind the other.

Been tracking it and its not been a fast drift.

[ecsrobin]

Getragdogleg said:

It was away from Wolf after lunch, its been steadily moving North-East -ish on the wind, the tide has been dropping as low tide is 17.42pm so at the moment the current is one way wind the other.

Been tracking it and its not been a fast drift.

That wind over tide will make it fun on the lifeboats.