FREMANTLE HIGHWAY

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Report: Firefighting and rescue operation of the Fremantle Highway was difficult due to poor communication

The firefighting and rescue operation of the burning 'Fremantle Highway' was difficult due to poor communication between the various emergency services and slow decision-making. This was concluded by the Dutch Safety Board (OVV). The fragmentation of the various services was 'at the expense of the speed of action. The fire on the ship carrying electric cars, among other things, broke out late in the evening of 25 July 2023, 27 kilometres off the coast of Ameland. The Coast Guard started fighting the fire, but did not know that the fire was spreading and the people on board were in danger. It was only when the special helicopters reached the ship after two and a half hours that it became clear that almost the entire ship was on fire and a rescue operation was necessary. The fire caused a lot of smoke and seven crew members saw no other way out than to jump from a great height from the ship. They were seriously injured and one of them did not survive the jump. 16 people were taken off the ship by helicopter. They had all inhaled heavy smoke. When the victims were taken to Groningen Airport Eelde, the emergency services there were not prepared for their arrival, which caused delays in transport to hospitals. The OVV stated that 'emergency aid in the North Sea must be put in order as soon as possible'. Communication between the Coastguard and the partners on land in particular must be improved. 'The Safety Board has regularly pointed out in recent years that the Coastguard Centre is insufficiently capable of taking control when it has to collaborate with other parties. 'It does not help that several ministries share the administrative responsibility for the Coastguard.'