MV Emsstrom Tugboat Sinks Off Torquay, UK

Business & Finance

January 16, 2013

The towed vessel MV Emsstrom, an ex-German Naval training ship, which had been listing too heavily for salvors to get onboard sank on Monday, January 14, approximately 2.5 nautical miles east by north from Hopes Nose, Torquay in 23 metres of water.

The sunken vessel collided with another tug boat, Christos XXII, the day before, when it got damaged.

It has been reported that MV Emsstrom tug is empty and is not a pollution risk.

At a meeting yesterday afternoon chaired by Hugh Shaw, Secretary of State’s Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention, some decisions were made concerning the future plans regarding the sunken wreck MV Emsstrom.

Hugh Shaw said: “At the meeting yesterday afternoon, we made some decisions to enable us to move forward with all interested parties in regards to the wreck. There are many interested parties and further assessments and inspections will have to take place before any final decisions are taken.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Her Majesty’s Coastguard, the Royal Navy, the RNLI, Maritime and Towage Services Torbay, Torbay Council and Harbour Authorities for the professional manner in which this incident was swiftly dealt with.”

Captain Paul Labistour, Harbour Master Torbay Council said: “We had a very positive meeting yesterday, and all relevant stakeholders have worked well together towards a positive outcome. There is a temporary exclusion zone of 500m around the wreck. Trinity House vessels MV Alert and MV Patricia have commenced survey and bouyage operations.”