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On May 19, 2025, the Italian Captain Michele Bartolomei, 52, of the 'Diamond Princess' has died on board the ship after a sudden medical emergency. The cruise ship was now under the command of Captain Salvatore Macera. Passengers were woken upat 2 a.m. to a ship-wide announcement calling for the medical response team to report to the medical center on Deck 4. The 'Diamond Princess was on a 13 stage cruise arriving and departing from Tokyo, when Bartolomei died near Taipei. He was about to celebrate his 30th anniversary with the cruise company with him starting in August 1995. News of the captain's death came as the 'Diamond Princess' was docked in Keelung, Taiwan, midway through a 19-day Southern Islands Explorer voyage that began in Yokohama. The announcement, made over the ship’s public address system, left passengers and crew in stunned silence. After sailing from Yokohama on May 16, the itinerary included visits to Ishigaki and Naha, as well as an overnight call to Keelung, before returning to Yokohama for a ten-night circumnavigation cruise of Japan on May 25. Report with photo: http://crew-center.com/captain-michele-bartolomei-dies-aboard-diamond-princess

On May 20, 2025, at around 1.15 a.m. the 'L'En Ma' caught fire at the Quay Baron-Gérard in Port-en-Bessin-Huppain. Significant resources were deployed by the SDIS 14 (Departmental Fire and Rescue Service). 45 firefighters and 11 vehicles were mobilized from the emergency centers of Bayeux, Balleroy, Amfreville, Caen Couvrechef, Troarn, and Le Molay-Littry, including a team specialized in onboard interventions, to extinguish the flames and prevent them from spreading to other vessels. The trawler was completely engulfed in flames when the firefighters arrived ion site. The operation lasted more than six hours, using two hoses, including a foam nozzle. An oil boom was laid out as a precaution. The fire was believed to have started in the galley. After the fire was extinguished, firefighters monitored the situation to prevent the fire from reigniting on the ship. They lifted the fire suppression system at 7:30 a.m. An investigation was launched by the authorities to determine the cause of the blaze. Reports with photos: https://www.ouest-france.fr/faits-divers/incendie/un-chalutier-prend-feu-a-port-en-bessin-49-pompiers-empechent-la-propagation-aux-autres-bateaux-c33e8dd2-3544-11f0-a239-9c8da3da27ee https://actu.fr/normandie/port-en-bessin-huppain_14515/port-en-bessin-le-chalutier-len-ma-totalement-detruit-par-un-incendie_62659682.html https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/societe/port-en-bessin-un-chalutier-victime-d-un-incendie-en-pleine-nuit-6280798

The 'Haddock (WPB-87347),, the Station San Diego and partner agencies apprehended 11 migrants in the San Diego Bay on May 18. At approximately 12 p.m., crew members aboard the 'Haddock' spotted two pleasure crafts crossing the maritime boundary line that matched the description of vessels suspected of human smuggling. The 'Haddock' made way to interdict the two vessels, and a boat crew from Station San Diego was launched to confine them to San Diego Bay. The first vessel dropped off four people north of the Zuniga Jetty near the Ammo Pier at the Naval Air Station North Island, where they were apprehended by Navy security and landside Border Patrol agents. Boarding team members aboard the 'Haddock' then intercepted the vessel, detaining one man, while the second vessel carrying six people was interdicted by the crew of the Station San Diego in the San Diego Bay. In total, 11 adult males, all claiming Mexican nationality, are in U.S. Border Patrol custody. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4190727/coast-guard-partner-agencies-apprehend-11-aliens-in-the-san-diego-bay/

On May 19 the sailing yacht 'Aljaraz' with two crew members on board, suffered mechanical problems and requested towing assistance off Puerto Sherry. The CCS Cádiz of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Suhail', which took the boat in tow and safely pulled it to Puerto Sherry. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1924477836678590844

The Russian authorities hav released the 'Green Admire' again, after briefly detaining it in Russia's territorial waters on May 118. The tanker had departed from Sillamäe en route to Rotterdam with an actual ETA as of May 24 on the evening of May17 en route to the Gulf of Finland. following a previously agreed-upon maritime route through Russian waters, a corridor established jointly by Russia, Estonia, and Finland for navigational safety rather than adherence to strict national boundaries. Despite the longstanding agreement, the Russian Federation halted the tanker, marking a notable escalation in maritime enforcement. Estonia Navy Deputy Commander stated that Russia has declared certain dangerous sea zone areas for shipping. Russian authorities brought the tanker to Gogland, a Russian-controlled, heavily militarized island northwest of Sillamäe. To prevent a similar situation, the Estonian authorities announced that all maritime traffic to and from the port of Sillamäe will now be directed exclusively through Estonian territorial waters.

On the evening of May 16, 2025, the ‘Ina XL’ sank in the port of Antwerp at the waiting dock for barges at the Noordkasteel Bridge. Divers were called to assist in refloating the pusher tug. Only part of the wheelhouse remained above the water. Report with photo: https://www.flows.be/binnenvaart/2025/05/sleepboot-ina-xl-gezonken-aan-noordkasteelbrug-in-antwerpen/?gdpr=deny

On the early morning of May 19, most of the crew of the' Cuauhtémoc' arrived in Mexico.172 cadets and two officers from the Heroic Naval Military School, as well as a captain, an officer, and three enlisted men, belonging to the crew of the sail training ship, arrived at the port of Veracruz. The sailors had been bussed from the site on May 18 at around 6 p.m. for a flight at 11 p.m. The city of New York provided a convoy of public buses to escort the crew to the John F. Kennedy International Airport. A handful of crew members remained aboard the ship, Two cadets have remained in hospital in New York, receiving specialized medical care, while their condition was reported to be stable. The team of investigators on the ground in New York City with the National Transportation Safety Board, which s comprised of experts in nautical operations, marine and bridge engineering and survival factors, which was assembled in New York City to conduct a safety investigation is expected to hold a news conference on May 19 at 3 p.m. Report with photos: https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/brooklyn-bridge-mexican-navy-ship-05-18-25-hnk

Ten days after running aground, the 'MSC Antonia' remains aground near the Eliza Shoals west of Jeddah. Satellite images from Pole Star Global were showing the vessel resting on a reef. Despite being listed as grounded, the ship appears on various vessel tracking sites, not just on the opposite side of the Red Sea but often far inland, along with other ships due to increased GPS spoofing . VesselFinder has the ship on Airport Road, south of Port Sudan, myShipTracking has it a few km further inland, while MarineTraffic’s location of the stricken ship places it – and a host of other vessels – 250 kilometres from the nearest shoreline in the Nubian Desert, the eastern region of the Sahara Desert. The maritime security specialist Ambrey has observed growing GPS interference in conflict zones with a constant disruption of the signal over an area, increasing navigational risk to shipping. Report with photos: https://splash247.com/grounded-msc-ship-appears-in-the-sahara/

During the salvage operations on the "Bayesian", a central component has been brought to the surface with the vessel's mainsail boom having been been recovered by the sheerleg 'Hebo Lift 10' (IMO: 8010506) and deposited on the deck of the crane barge 'Hebo Lift 2' (MMSI: 244890515) on May 19. An anchor and anchor chain have also lifted from a depth of around 50 meters. The mainsail boom will allow investigators – including the Coast Guard and the Labor Inspectorate – to further clarify the circumstances surrounding the death of a 39-year-old diver. The Dutch man died on May 9 while working on the wreck. Divers had descended to a depth of 49 meters to cut through the yacht's mast. There was evidence that the 39-year-old was struck by a piece of metal while handling a cutting torch. Report with photos and video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEyYXA6CH9I https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14727675/First-major-piece-Bayesian-superyacht-raised-seabed-sank-summer-killing-British-billionaire-Mike-Lynch.html

The Italian authorities reviewed videos and checked the AIS signal for the 'Silver Ray' and confirmed it had come within 500 meters of the rock structure as the vessel came to a close range from the coast of Marina Piccola amd approached the Faraglioni rock formations off Capri en route from Naples to Monaco on May 3, 2025. That was a failure to maintain a minimum distance under Italian regulations. As a result, the ship was fined €1,032. The captain was also issued a formal reprimand by the Italian Coast Guard for violating the maritime regulations of Italy. Video: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJRrAGNsNMm/

On the morning of May 19, a migrant boat was reported departing from Le Tréport by the Seine-Maritime Gendarmerie Operations and Intelligence Center. The CROSS Gris-Nez initially deployed the lifeboat 'SNS 209-President JC Fortini' from the SNSM station in Le Tréport, which was then closest to the boat, followed by the 'Jacques Oudart Fourmentin' to relocate and monitor the boat. Once on site, the patrol boa deployed its RHIB to pick up the first person requiring assistance. Shortly after, the patrol boat recovered all occuptants, including one person who was suffering from an illness. Once safely on board, the CROSS deployed a French Navy's Dauphin helicopter to medevac the victim to the hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer. All 29 rescued people were dropped off in Boulogne-sur-Mer and taken care of by land authorities at the dock. In total, 30 people were rescued and taken care of by government resources at sea.

On May 15, 2025, the 'Panther' was detained in Algeciras with 10 deficiencies, six of which being regarded a seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Emergency systems - Emergency source of power - emergency generator Inoperative 2) Emergency systems - Emergency fire pump and its pipes Inoperative 3) Life saving Appliances - Rescue boats Inoperative 4) Fire safety - Fire detection and alarm systems Not as required 5) Other - Other (Marpol operational) Other 6) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on May 16 and left the port enroute to Abidjan, ETA May 24. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

The 'MSC Meraviglia' has been undergoing technical repairs after having one cruise cancelled in mid-April. Offering weeklong itineraries out of New York City, the vessel was taken out of service ahead of the sailing that was scheduled for May 11, 2025. The 'MSC Meraviglia' was in need of technical repairs due to a mechanical issue. The problem was impacting the vessel’s ability to operate at standard cruising speeds. The 'MSC Meraviglia' was set to offer a seven-night cruise to the Bahamas and Florida from its homeport at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. In addition to three days at sea, the original itinerary featured visits to Port Canaveral, Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. Instead, the vessel docked in Portland (Maine), where repairs are being carried out by specialized teams. The technical issue never affected the safety of the crew and guests. The 'MSC Meraviglia' left Portland on May 17 and resumed service on May 18,, kicking off a weeklong cruise to the Bahamas and Florida.As with the cancelled cruise, the seven-night voyage features visits to Port Canaveral, Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. Sailing from New York City on a year-round basis, the was offers seven-night cruises to Florida, the Bahamas and Bermuda.

On May 16, the Norwegian tug 'Sea1 Ruby' finally took the 'Maersk Sana' in tow following an extended period during which the laden vessel was ‘safely adrift at sea’ in the western Atlantic, en route to a port of refuge in the Bahamas, with an expected arrival in the last week of May. it was thought that the container ship will be towed to Freeport, a tow of approximately 900 nautical miles, which at five knots would take seven days. One crew member ‘who was transported to a hospital in the US remained in stable but critical condition and was receiving the best possible care. Maersk remained in communication with its customers about mitigating impacts to their supply chains” The weather conditions have remained favourable siunce the explosion and fire on April 29. The Atlantic hurricane season begins in a few days’ time, and then getting a towline on the 'Maersk Sana' could have been very different. Miami’s National Hurricane Weather Center reported that tropical cyclone formation is not expected within the next seven days.

On May 19 the 'Cuauhtémoc' remained moored at Pier 36 in pos. 40° 43' W 073° 59' E, two days after the allision with the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17 at 8.20 p.m. with a speed of 2,7 knots, after setting off from Pier 17 in New York, assisted by the tug 'Charles D. McAllister' (MMSI366897820). The twin-screw assist tug was not connected with a towing hawser, and was not able to intervene before the allision. Damage assessments and future actions for the salvage plans for the sail training vessel were being determined. Sector New York has established a 50-yard safety zone around the vessel. At this time, vessels transiting the area have been requested to proceed at slow speed. The Coast Guard's Vessel Traffic Service was is actively monitoring the situation, and the NYPD was providing 24/7 patrols of the safety zone. The 45-metres masts broke when hitting the bridge, which only had a clearance of 41.1 metres. It was still uncertain if cadets, who fell from the masts, were among the two dead. 20 more cadets were injured in the incident, of whom 11 were reported to be in a critical condition. Nine were in stable condition. The Brooklyn Bridge was reopened after a preliminary investigation, as itappeared to have beeb left structurally intact. The bridge was temporarily closed in both directions for about 40 minutes after the incident. The USCG Sector New York immediately launched a crew from Coast Guard Station New York to the scene and established a safety zone from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Manhattan Bridge after the accident. The New York Vessel Traffic Services suspended commercial traffic in the area. The injured personnel were transported to local hospitals in Manhattan. The governor of Veracruz state identified one of the victims as cadet América Yamilet Sánchez, a native of Xalapa, the capital city of Veracruz and member of the Heroic Naval Military School.. The local city council of San Mateo del Mar, 23, in the neighbouring Oaxaca state, in southern Mexico, identified the second victim as Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos. Family and friends gathered at Sánchez’s home in Xalapa on May 18 to honour the 21-year-old naval cadet. Sánchez’s mother, Rocio Hernandez, was in communication with US authorities regarding the repatriation of her daughter’s body. The body of Sánchez was scheduled to be transferred on May 1 9 to the naval academy in her home state of Veracruz. She was in her final year as a navy cadet and was part of the international training cruise scheduled to visit 15 countries. The Mexican President Sheinbaum sent her condolences to families of the two crew members killed, saying, she was deeply saddened by the losses. The Mexican Navy was supporting those injured in the incident, and the Mexican ambassador to the United States and Mexican Consulate General were supporting the navy. A preliminary investigation by several authorities including the NYPD’s Special Operations Division, the Fire Department of New York, the US Coast Guard, and the New York City Department of Transportation determined that the vessel experienced a mechanical malfunction. The NTSB team started assembling in New York City to conduct a safety investigation into the 'Cuauhtémoc'. The members started arrived on the afternoon of May 18. The multidisciplinary investigative team was comprised of experts in nautical operations, marine and bridge engineering and survival factors. Captain Victor Hugo Molina Torres told the investigators that he lost steering of the vessel after the rudder stopped working. The East River has strong currents, and the tide was coming in towards the bridge - at the time of the casualty. The wind was also northeasterly, towards the bridge. The incident investigation is in progress and being actively coordinated between the governments of Mexico and United States. The voyage data recorder will provide crucial information about what went wrong and likely provide investigators with information about both the ship’s mechanics, including any control input and when power may have been lost and also provide information about the river itself, such as the water’s depth and its currents. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on May 18 that investigators must determine if budget cuts and program cancellations by the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency contributed in any way to the ship crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge. The barque had previously been docked at the South Street Seaport Museum for five days of public viewing. It was on a global goodwill tour.Tthe ship was supposed to make a stop at a Bay Ridge fueling dock before heading out to sea on its way to Iceland. Most crew members of the ship were expected to fly back to Mexico on the night of May 18. Reports with photos and video: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/05/19/us/brooklyn-bridge-collision-mexican-ship-wwk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIlRiauatEo https://www.noroeste.com.mx/seguridad/arriban-a-veracruz-cadetes-y-tripulacion-del-buque-escuela-cuauhtemoc-tras-percance-en-nueva-york-ED13012420

The 'Forward (WMEC 911)' returned to their home port in Portsmouth on May 19, following a 79-day patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The ship was deployed in support of the Joint Interagency Task Force – South (JIATF-S) to conduct counter-drug operations while underway in the 11th Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility. Through detection, monitoring and interdiction efforts, it directly reduced the flow of illicit narcotics into the USA. The 'Forward’ worked alongside additional units to include the Coast Guard Cutters 'Kimball (WMSL 756)', 'Thetis (WMEC 910)', and the Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team – South (TACLET-S) to stop suspected drug smuggling while patrolling off the Pacific coast of Central and South America. While at sea, the cutter interdicted a vessel engaged in drug-trafficking. After it was detected by a maritime patrol aircraft, a Coast Guard boarding team that included members from TACLET-S launched to pursue the vessel, which led to the apprehension of four suspected drug traffickers. A second small boat crew was launched to locate and recover 37 bales of cocaine that were jettisoned by the suspected traffickers, resulting in the seizure of 2,039 pounds of cocaine worth more than $23 million. On May 17, the crew of the 'Forward' rescued two people and their disabled 60-foot sailboat nearly 90 miles off Charleston, South Carolina. The 'Forward’ towed the sailboat to coastal waters, where a Station Charleston boat crew and a commercial salvage vessel took over and safely transported the two sailors and their boat to shore. No injuries were reported. During the deployment, the 'Forward’ engaged with Ecuadorian navy officials and valued partners in the Galápagos Islands during a port of call on San Cristóbal Island, Ecuador. Forward hosted the delegation aboard the cutter, providing a tour to highlight Coast Guard capabilities in support of U.S., Ecuadorian, and international joint objectives. Report with photos: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4190723/coast-guard-cutter-forward-returns-home-after-seizing-more-than-23m-in-cocaine/

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated an investigation into the allision of the STS 'Cuauhtémoc' with the Brooklyn Bridge. The vessel, with 277 people on board, was departing South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 on the evening of May 17, when the incident occurred. According to NTSB’s initial findings, the vessel’s speed increased from 2 to 6 knots while moving astern. The allision occurred at approximately 8:24 p.m., about five minutes after setting off from the pier with the assistance of the tug 'Charles D McAllister' amid repeated calls for more tug assistance just before the allision. The 'Cuauhtémoc' came to a complete stop three minutes later up river from the bridge. The weather conditions at the time were west wind at 10 knots and only 0.3 knots of flood current upriver. The NTSB Investigator in Charge Brian Young confirmed that the investigators were focusing on nautical operations, marine engineering, bridge engineering, survival factors, and recorders. The NTSB will also be looking into policies and procedures for assisting tugs. The investigation team is currently working with the Mexican government to gain access to the ship. So far, no interviews have taken place, including with the captain and pilot. The vessel remained moored at Pier 36 on the East River, surrounded by a 50-yard safety zone, as authorities assess the damage and determine salvage plans. The NTSB confirmed no significant structural damage to the Brooklyn Bridge. The McAllister Towing, which operated the 'Charles D McAllister', provided the following statement: “One of our vessels assisted the Cuauhtémoc as it departed Pier 17 en route to anchorage, where the vessel was scheduled to take on bunkers. Following the allision, our crew provided additional assistance and promptly notified the appropriate authorities. “While the cause of the incident is still under investigation, McAllister Towing is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities and will continue to support the review process as needed.” The investigation is being coordinated between Mexican and U.S. authorities. The NTSB expects to release its preliminary report within 30 days. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_ZHng2BF3I

On the morning of May 19, 2025, a migrant boat was reported departing from Le Tréport by the Seine-Maritime Gendarmerie Operations and Intelligence Center. The CROSS Gris-Nez initially deployed the 'SNS 209-President JC Fortini' from the SNSM station in Le Tréport, which was then closest to the boat, followed by the 'Jacques Oudart Fourmentin' to relocate and monitor the boat. Once on site, the patrol boa deployed its RHIB to pick up the first person requiring assistance. Shortly after, the patrol boat recovered all occuptants, including one person who was suffering from an illness. Once safely on board, the CROSS deployed a French Navy's Dauphin helicopter to medevac the victim to the hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer. All 29 rescued people were dropped off in Boulogne-sur-Mer and taken care of by land authorities at the dock. In total, 30 people were rescued and taken care of by government resources at sea.

Two people have been killed and 19 others injured, two of them critical, after the 'Cuauhtémoc' allided with New York City's Brooklyn Bridge on May 16, 2025, with 277 people on board. The current seemed to have carried it into the road deck of the bridge at around 8:20 p.m.The tall ship had lost power as the captain was manoeuvring the vessel, forcing it to head for the bridge abutment on the Brooklyn side. The tide had just turned, and a fast current was heading up the East River as a 10 mph wind set in. The ship had a local harbour pilot – familiar with the conditions of the water there – and an area docking pilot helping guide the ship. At least one was onboard at the time of the accident. .The ship's masts clipped the bridge as it passed under the structure. Crew members were standing on the masts as they snapped and fell to the deck. Some sailors were hanging from the masts. One cadet fell from the topgallant, which is the highest part, to the deck. The ship's decks were covered in blood, all three masts were destroyed, all the cables snapped. The ship then hit the quay underneath the Brooklyin Bridge with its port side stern, which was damaged above the water line. Crowds of people, who had been watching the ship's departure, fled from the quay. In a rush to save as many people as possible, the boatswains had to climb the broken masts to rescue the cadets who had been trapped on them. Authorities began responding to the area around 8:26 p.m. after receiving multiple 911 calls, More than 100 fire and emergency medical service personnel responded to the scene. The Brooklyn Bridge did not suffer any major damage and was reopened after a preliminary inspection. While there was some damage to the underside of the bridge, it was not structural and transportation inspectors have determined the bridge was safe, The Police believed that a mechanical issues and a power cut had caused the allision. The New York Coast Guard said the 'Cuauhtémoc' lost all three masts. All personnel on the ship had been accounted for and no-one had fallen in the water. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum said she was deeply saddened by the loss of two crew members in the accident. The 'Cuauhtémoc' was towed from the scene after the crash. She had left the Mexican port of Acapulco on April 6. Its final destination was intended to be Iceland. The crew of 277 were mostly cadets. Report with video: https://nypost.com/2025/05/17/us-news/ship-carrying-200-people-hits-the-brooklyn-bridge-as-search-and-rescue-operation-underway/

Beached at Aliaga 05/2025 towed by Tuh Hector