Personal Locator Beacons Improve the Chance of Rescue at Sea
New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration and remembrance. Three years ago, on December 31, 2019, as the new year was being rung in across the lower 48 states, a tragedy was playing out in icy Alaskan waters. The fishing vessel Scandies Rose, with seven crew members aboard, encountered severe icing conditions and high winds and waves as it transited from Kodiak to fishing grounds in the Bering Sea. The crabber tried to make it to Sutwik Island to shelter from the storm; however…
Suspected Pirates Apprehended off Somalia
Six suspected pirates were apprehended by the European Union’s antipiracy force off the coast of Somalia. EU NAVFOR Somalia’s flagship, the Italian vessel ITS Virginio Fasan, detained six crew and their vessels following reported attacks on a 52,000 metric ton containership and a fishing vessel over a 24 hour period on November 17 and 18 in the Southern Somali Basin. During the incidents a number of rocket propelled grenades were fired against the containership, though no damage or injuries were reported, and all crew and vessels are said to be safe.
Six More Bodies Found After Azeri Oil Platform Fire
The bodies of six oil workers missing from an Azeri oil platform in the Caspian Sea that caught fire on Friday have been found, the state energy company SOCAR said on Monday. It said a helicopter search for the other missing would continue at daybreak. Out of the 62 people who were on the Guneshli oil rig when the fire started, one was confirmed dead on Sunday and 33 were rescued. Efforts were also continuing to try to put the fire out. "As of now, at least one well is on fire," said Balamirza Alirahimov, chief engineer at Azneft, SOCAR's production union. The fire started on Friday after a storm caused some of the platform's production equipment to collapse, damaging a natural gas pipeline. The platform had daily production of 920 tonnes of oil and 1.08 million cubic metres of gas.
Search for Air Asia QZ8501 Continues
USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) arrived in the search area on Jan. 3, 2015 and has commenced search efforts for Air Asia flight QZ8501 at the request of the Indonesian government. It is the second US Naval Ship to join in the search. Seen the picture is the Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Norrik Hodge stands watch on the bridge wing of the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3). Fort Worth is currently on station conducting helicopter search and recovery operations as part of the Indonesian-led efforts to locate missing AirAsia Flight QZ8501. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Antonio P. The picture below is of the Indonesian authorities at Iskander Air Base carrying the body of an AirAsia Flight QZ8501 victim transported ashore by a U.S.
