11257
From: Captainj, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Bourbon Rhode Sinks in the Atlantic Ocean; Three Rescued
URL: http://gcaptain.com/bourbon-rhode-sinks-in-the-atlantic-ocean-three-rescued/
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A rescue operation is underway for a Bourbon tug with fourteen crew members on board after the vessel found itself caught near the eye of Hurricane Lorenzo in the Atlantic Ocean. France-based Bourbon Offshore said its offshore tug Bourbon Rhode was in transit approximately 1,200 nautical miles off Martinique island, located in the Caribbean Sea, when it sent a distress signal that picked up by French authorities on Thursday morning. At one point the Bourbon Rhode was reported as being just 60 nautical miles from the eye of Hurricane Lorenzo, a major Category 4 hurricane, according to Bourbon. The vessel is experiencing water ingress in the rear part of the vessel. “A crisis cell has immediately been activated and it ensures the coordination, out of Marseilles, of the rescue of the vessel and its crew, in close collaboration with authorities, including the Regional Operational Center of Surveillance and Rescue (CROSS) West Indies-Guyana,” Bourbon Offshore said in a statement. Authorities have diverted the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier SSI EXCELLENT to render assistance. As of Thursday, the bulk carrier was located approximately 200 nautical miles from the tug. Arrival on scene was anticipated for Friday morning. “An update on crew and vessel situation will be published as soon as possible,” Bourbon said. Bourbon Rhode is part of Bourbon’s fleet of terminal tugs which provide assistance operations, standby, and support of offshore oil and gas terminals, and is specialized in assisting FPSOs. Update: A search for the offshore tug Bourbon Rhode with fourteen people on board is now underway with a general cargo ship now in the search zone. Bourbon said in a update that weather conditions remain particularly adverse in the search area due to impacts from Hurricane Lorenzo. According to reports on social media, at least one NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft have been diverted to assist in the search. “Other maritime means are being mobilized in order to provide assistance to the crew, as well as air support from NHC (National Hurricane Center),” Bourbon said in an update. The rescue is being coordinated by the Regional Operational Center of Surveillance and Rescue (Cross) of West Indies- Guyana. “The crisis cell is working in very close cooperation with the Cross. BOURBON’s teams are mobilized to keep the families of the crew members informed and bring them full support in this difficult time,” Bourbon said. On Thursday, the NWS National Hurricane Center reported that Hurricane Lorenzo had maximum sustained winds of near 140 mph with higher gusts, a major category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 45 miles from the center with tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 255 miles, according to the NHC. The storm weakened slightly on Friday, but remained a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140 m.p.h. |
11263
From: Captainj, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Bourbon Rhode Survivors Arrive in France as Limited Search Continues
URL: http://gcaptain.com/bourbon-rhode-survivors-arrive-in-france-as-limited-search-continues/
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The three survivors from the Bourbon Rhode sinking arrived in France on Sunday as a limited search for seven missing seafarers continues in the Atlantic Ocean, French offshore services provide Bourbon Offshore said in an update on Monday. The three survivors arrived on board the French Navy frigate Ventôse at Fort de France where they were met by civil and military authorities along with Bourbon representatives. All three survivors are reported to be in good health and have already been reunited with their families. The bodies of the four seafarers recovered also arrived on board the Ventôse and will be repatriated to their families, Bourbon said. The arrival of the Ventôse comes under the backdrop of a limited search for seven seafarers continuing in the Atlantic. According to Bourbon, the anchor handling tug ALP Striker remains in the search zone. On Saturday, Bourbon announced that search operations led by the CROSS French West Indies-Guyana and the French Navy were transitioning from an active search involving multiple commercial vessels and French Navy assets to asking commercial vessels in the area to keep an adapted watch – a decision that has been met with strong criticism online. “BOURBON reminds that an exceptionally extensive search operation, with maritime and air resources, has been implemented since September 26 by the CROSS Antilles- Guyane, responsible for managing and coordinating search and rescue operations on behalf of the French maritime authorities,” Bourbon said in an update on Monday. “To date, the search operations decided by the CROSS continues: the Alp Striker vessel – a 90 m AHTS capable of operating over very long distances – is still surveying the area to find the missing seafarers and all merchant vessels operating in this area are mobilized to set up an appropriate watch.” The Bourbon Rhode, with 14 crew on board, sank in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on September 26 during a voyage from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria to Georgetown, Guyana after experiencing heavy weather from category 4 Hurricane Lorenzo. Three of the vessel’s crew members were subsequently rescued from a life raft. Searchers also located an overturned fast rescue craft from the vessel. More than ten commercial vessels participated in the week- long search for the Bourbon Rhode, along with aircraft from the French Navy along with U.S. NWS National Hurricane Center. The Luxembourg-flagged Bourbon Rhode is a 49.5-meter double azimuth stern drive tug with 100 metric ton bollard pull. The vessel was built in 2006 and is classed by Bureau Veritas. Bourbon’s fleet is one of the largest and most modern in the offshore oil and gas services sector, comprising of more than 483 vessels and 31 operating affiliates. |
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11258
From: Captainj, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Bourbon Rhode Sinks in the Atlantic Ocean
URL: http://gcaptain.com/bourbon-rhode-sinks-in-the-atlantic-ocean-three-rescued/
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Bourbon Offshore has reported that three crew members from the offshore tug Bourbon Rhode have been rescued from a liferaft in the Atlantic Ocean. The company confirms that the vessel has sunk. A search for eleven missing crew members continues. Weather in the search zone has improved since the vessel was initially reported in distress on Thursday. “In the context of search operations of tug supply vessel Bourbon Rhode started on September 26, the mobilized rescue teams have recovered a lifeboat with 3 crew members on board, the lifeboat having been identified by a Falcon 50 especially equipped for this type of mission and sent by the French Navy,” Bourbon Offshore said in an update on Saturday. “The 3 crew members are currently taken in charge by the medical support team onboard the commercial vessel, which provided assistance, and are currently placed under medical observation.” Bourbon’s statement continues: “It has been confirmed that the vessel has sunk. The search continues to be carried out in weather conditions that are improving. All necessary means are implemented by the Cross AG and the French Navy, under the authority of the Prefect representing the State’s maritime authority, namely numerous flyovers carried out by the Falcon 50 over the search zone. Numerous commercial vessels have had their course changed in order to bring assistance, as well as a plane of the U.S. National Hurricane Center. “The crisis cell put into place by BOURBON works in very close collaboration with the Cross AG and the French Navy. BOURBON’s teams are mobilized to keep the families of the crew members informed and bring them full support in this difficult time.” The French Navy deployed a Falcon 50 from Dakar, as well the surveillance frigate Ventôse to assist in the search. Multiple commercial vessels are also involved in the search. France-based Bourbon Offshore reported previously its offshore tug Bourbon Rhode, with a crew of fourteen, was in transit approximately 1,200 nautical miles off Martinique island, located in the Caribbean Sea, when it sent a distress signal that was picked up by French authorities on Thursday morning after the became caught in Hurricane Lorenzo. At one point the Bourbon Rhode was reported as being just 60 nautical miles from the eye of Lorenzo, which at the time was a major Category 4 hurricane, according to Bourbon. The vessel was initally reported to be experiencing water ingress in the rear part of the vessel. The rescue is being coordinated by the Regional Operational Center of Surveillance and Rescue (Cross) of West Indies- Guyana. Bourbon Rhode is part of Bourbon’s fleet of terminal tugs which provide assistance operations, standby, and support of offshore oil and gas terminals, and is specialized in assisting FPSOs. |
11262
From: Captainj, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Hope Fades for Finding Bourbon Rhode Survivors
URL: http://gcaptain.com/hope-fades-for-finding-bourbon-rhode-survivors/
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French offshore services company Bourbon is mourning the seven seafarers still missing after the Bourbon Rhode AHTS sank in the Atlantic Ocean more than a week ago. In its first update on the search in nearly three days, Bourbon Offshore indicated that the active search operations led by the CROSS French West Indies-Guyana and the French Navy are winding down. The search so far has successfully located three survivors from the Bourbon Rhode, as well as the bodies of four crew members. Seven crew members remain missing. Bourbon said the CROSS will now transition to disseminating messages to vessels in the area to ask them to carry out an adapted watch. The French Navy frigate Ventôse left the search area on Friday with the three survivors and the recovered victims after nearly five days on scene with a Panther helicopter. More than ten commercial vessels were diverted to assist over the course of the search. Aircraft from the French Navy along with U.S. NWS National Hurricane Center also participated in the search. The Bourbon Rhode, with 14 crew on board, sank last Thursday, Sept. 26, during a voyage from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria to Georgetown, Guyana after experiencing heavy weather from category 4 Hurricane Lorenzo. Three of the vessel’s crew members were subsequently rescued from a life raft. Searchers also located an overturned fast rescue craft from the vessel. “BOURBON and all its employees are in mourning today and I would like to reiterate our sincere condolences and our full support to the families and loved ones of the victims,” said Bourbon CEO Gael Bodénès. “We are working in close cooperation with the various stakeholders to understand the facts and circumstances of this tragedy. Finally, we thank the entire maritime community for its many signs of solidarity, so precious in these difficult times. I would like to reiterate our heartfelt thanks to the CROSS teams, the crews of the French Navy and the commercial vessels involved in search operations.” The Luxembourg-flagged Bourbon Rhode is a 49.5-meter double azimuth stern drive tug with 100 metric ton bollard pull. The vessel was built in 2006 and is classed by Bureau Veritas. It is equipped with one Norsafe rescue craft with davit, in addition to liferafts. The vessel has rated speed of 13.5 knots. |
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11260
From: Captainj, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Two More Bodies Recovered in Search for Bourbon Rhode Crew
URL: http://gcaptain.com/two-more-bodies-recovered-in-search-for-bourbon-rhode-crew/
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I was talking with a team member last portcall, who was in direct contact with Bourbon, a very sad day for all. The bodies of two Bourbon Rhode crew members were recovered overnight, bringing the official death toll to three after the tug sank during Hurricane Lorenzo last Thursday. Bourbon Offshore confirmed the fatalities in an update on search and rescue operations. The bodies of the two victims have been recovered and were transferred to the French navy “Ventôse”, which arrived on scene on Monday to participate in the on-going search operation. According to the Bourbon, ten commercial vessels have been mobilized in the search area since the search and rescue operations began on September 26. Daily overflights are performed by a Falcon 50 belonging to the French Navy with support from a U.S. Coast Guard C130 Hercules aircraft. The Ventôse, accompanied by its helicopter “Panther”, is also on scene coordinating the search. The Bourgon Rhode, with 14 people on board, sank last Thursday during a voyage from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria to Georgetown, Guyana after sailing too close to the eye of Hurricane Lorenzo, a major category 4 hurricane at the time. Three crew members were rescued alive from a liferaft. Bourbon confirmed the first fatality on Monday. The search continues for eight missing crew members. “On behalf of all BOURBON employees, I would like to pay tribute to the deceased sailors. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones who are grieving over this dramatic event,” said Bourbon’s CEO Gaël Bodénès. “We stand in full solidarity with them in this ordeal and assure them of our strongest support. Research operations are continuing on this sixth day and the mobilization of the maritime world is unprecedented. I would like to express our gratitude to all the research teams and those who volunteer.” The Luxembourg-flagged Bourbon Rhode is a 49.5-meter double azimuth stern drive tug with 100 metric ton bollard pull. The vessel was built in 2006 and is classed by Bureau Veritas. It is equipped with one Norsafe rescue craft with davit, in addition to liferafts. The vessel has rated speed of 13.5 knots. The rescue is being coordinated by the Regional Operational Center of Surveillance and Rescue (Cross) of West Indies- Guyana. |
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11259
From: chatillion, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Bourbon Rhode Sinks in the Atlantic Ocean
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Candles and Wheels!!!!! Thank you, Captain. |
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