The captain of the 'COS Master' was banned from sailing for two weeks by the Disciplinary Board of Shipping. The sanction was imposed because the crew tender allided with a buoy off the coast of Belgium on Aug 6, 2024, and sprung a leak. The crew boat, which is used to transport technical personnel from Ostend to the Borssele offshore wind farm, sailed over a buoy with two crew members and 13 passengers on board. The 'COS Master' then returned to Ostend. According to the ILT inspector, the captain did not keep a proper lookout and sailed at a high speed of approximately 20 knots while he was doing other work. According to the inspector, this led to the collision. The captain then allegedly handed over the watch to a sailor who was not authorized to do so. The captain acknowledged that he did not keep a proper lookout and that the allision was the result of this. He was distracted by a changed assignment and weather report. The captain also acknowledged that he should not have left the sailor alone on the bridge. But he did dare to do so with this experienced sailor and so he was able to see for himself whether it was safe to sail back to Ostend. However, the Disciplinary Board fully agreed with the inspector. The captain should have stayed on the bridge himself and let the engineer inspect the damage. That is why the captain's sailing license has been suspended for four weeks, two of which were conditional.
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Z63 THALASSA
On the morning of April 13, the 'Z.63-Thalassa' was disabled off the Belgian coast, after the net had fouled the propulsion of the trawler. After the crew requested assistance, the tug 'Multratug 11' (IMO: 7232626) took the ship in tow and safely pulled it into the port of Oostende, to remove the oobstruction from the propulsion system. Photos: https://www.tugspotters.com/app/content/2025/04/multratug-11-met-z-63-thalassa/
A ROSA RIVA
The 'A Rosa Riva' suffered an engine failure on the Danube near Ybbs-Persenbeug (Melk district), with 170 people on board, on April 12, 2025. The ship was en route from Bratislava to Passau when, shortly after the Ybbs-Persenbeug lock, it suddenly became unmaneuverable and ran into an embankment on the riverbank on the early evening. The cruise ship was able to be inspected and repaired on site, and finally continued its journey towards Passau after a good two hours, Report with photos: https://www.heute.at/s/schock-an-der-donau-motorschaden-legt-schiff-lahm-120102368
CG JOSEPH GERCZAK
The 'Joseph Gerczak' was among the units of the US Coast Guard, which were searching for the 23-foot recreational fishing vessel 'Makalapua Ona Lani'. with one person aboard off he Island of Hawaii, on April 10, 2025. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a report at 2:17 p.m. from Hawaii County Fire Department dispatchers regarding the overdue vessel, which has a white hull, blue trim and twin outboard engines. Missing was Earl Hind, a 42-year old man who was scheduled to return from a fishing trip in the vicinity of South Point on the morning of April 9. Hind’s family members confirmed that his truck and trailer were still located at the boat ramp. Sector Honolulu watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules airplane crew and diverted the 'Joseph Gerczak' to aid in the search. Also involved in the search were the Hawaii County Fire Department and the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Anyone with information that may assist in search efforts should contact the Coast Guard on VHF-FM channel 16 or call the Sector Honolulu command center at 808-842-2600.
SKY PRINCESS
On April 8, at around 10:45 p.m., a burst pipe aboard the 'Sky Princess' caused massive flooding in several public areas of the upped deck. The leak triggered emergency measures and temporarily led to the evacuation of passengers from central sections of the cruise ship, which was completing its seven-day round trip from Southampton to Spain and France. Water from the burst pipe, which was connected to the Sky Pool, poured across several decks and flooded the popular Piazza atrium on decks five and six. The scene was described as being initially chaotic, but was quickly brought under control. passengers were reported to their muster stations while the crew attempted to contain the major water issue. Teams immediately shut off the water and began cleaning the areas. Evening entertainment in other areas was uninterrupted, and guests were able to resume use of the piazza on the morning of April 9.