VIET LONG

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Ship sank during salvage - crew imposed

The Transport Authority has levied a fine of MVR 508.6 million upon the "Viet Long" that had run aground near Summer Island Village resort in Kaafu atoll on May 31. The accident had resulted in a lot of damage to the surrounding reefs. The damages were assessed by the nvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the fine was determined based on its report. The Transport Authority had informed Haneen Shipping, the ship's local agent, of the fine on July 3 under Article 14 of the law concerning shipping vessels that go asunder or wrecked. Transport Authority has also stated that the ship had sunk in the process of its retrieval on July 3. The ship's deck broke and the ship sank on a water depth of 2500 metres. There were going to be more fines levied on the ship for the oil that had spilled into the sea and the damages it had caused. However, the exact fine figures remain unknown yet. The government has also imposed a travel ban on the ship’s crew.

Ship abandoned after grounding in the Maledives

The "Viet Long" ran aground in the Summer Island Village area off the Kaafu Atoll north of Male on May 31, 2014, at 7.30 p.m. with a crew of 20 on board. The vessel was loaded with cement and steel. The ship suffered water ingress and was in danger of sinking in troubled waters. The freighter was stuck in position 04-33 N; E 073-22, the hull was breached and fuel oil spilled into the sea. The ballast tank No. 3 on starboard side was torn open on a length of about 20 cm. ALso the cargo holds and engine room suffered water ingress. Attempts to fix the damage in the night of June 10 by the crew failed. At 3.55 a.m. the situation changed dramatically. High waves and strong winds blew the ship off the shoals, and it drifted into deeper waters. At this time, the ship began to swing freely, the flooding increased, and the ship started to sink. The weather was very bad, so rescue boats could not reach the ship to rescue the crew. At 1.30 p.m. a rescue team if the Maldives Coast Guard managed to approach the distressed ship. Eight crew were taken off and brought ashore safely to shore, while 12 crew members continued trying to save the ship. At 3.42 p.m. a crack appeared in the ship's side, and the remaining crew members were ordered to leave the ship. By 5.15 p.m. they were taken off by the Coastguard vessel 7702 and transported to Male. The Environment Ministry, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Coastguard formed a committee to limit the damage with the support of an American expert.