After heartbreaking rescue efforts were thwarted by hazardous weather, a stranded cargo ship has finally been hauled to safety.
The Portland Bay vessel was being towed by three Engage Marine tugboats, according to the Port Authority of NSW, following the “successful extraction” of its two anchors.
In the Royal National Park, south of Sydney, the bulk carrier lost power about a kilometer off Garie Beach, leaving 21 crew members stranded on Monday morning.
At a press conference on Monday afternoon, incident controller John Finch stated that the vessel was in a “stable, anchored position.
Two tugs are already on the scene, two anchors have been set, and a third is due to arrive in the next 15 to 20 minutes, according to Mr. Finch.
The non-essential staff was initially scheduled to be evacuated this morning, but the master asked to retain his crew on board once the ship’s anchors were set and it was no longer drifting toward the cliffs.
They currently feel sure that once they are in deep, safe water, they can repair the engine.
Eight non-essential crew members were removed from the ship earlier by a rescue helicopter, an aircraft, and three tugboats sent from Port Botany.
The rescue effort is anticipated to last well into the evening as the east coast is battered by relentless rain, strong gusts, and heavy surf.
The crew believes that the main turbo engine blower has failed, and the ship is due to enter calmer seas in two to three hours.
If such is the case and there are no more problems, the repair should be quite simple and take four to six hours, according to Mr. Finch.
The rescue was necessary because, according to experts, the ship was carrying roughly 1000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and that its grounding would cause a “ecological calamity.”
A rescue helicopter was seen circling the ship in video from Surf Life Saving NSW as it battled big seas off the coast of Illawarra.
Surf Life Saving tweeted on Monday afternoon, “It’s a hard position, with tower cranes on the ship interfering with any winching attempts.”
Due to the severe weather that was damaging the shoreline near Wattamolla, there were concerns that the 169-meter bulk carrier may drift towards the cliffs of the Royal National Park or run aground one nautical mile offshore.
Around 2pm, a second tug boat came on the site in an effort to control the ship and push it out to sea.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is maintaining a communications link with the vessel through overhead aircraft while emergency services, including rescue aircraft, are keeping an eye on the developing situation.
According to Australian Defence Force Brigadier Robert Lording, there is another tugboat that is located approximately two and a half to three hours away and has the ability to tow the ship further afield from the coast.
There are 21 crew members aboard, and the idea of airlifting some of them crossed someone’s mind.
“I have spoken with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, who has indicated that they consider that at this moment it is hazardous to do that and that rescue mission has been delayed.”
Authorities have confirmed that the bulk carrier, which is registered in Hong Kong and measures roughly 170 meters long and 27 meters wide, is double-anchored.
According to deputy police commissioner Peter Thurtell, “the tugboat that is being dispatched has the capacity to pull it farther out to sea and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority will coordinate the resources needed to get it underway out of its own power.”
Due to safety concerns brought on by the hazardous conditions, a plan to transfer non-essential crew members off the boat with two helicopters has been put forth.
According to NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, “It is obviously a very perilous scenario, and our thoughts are with everyone on board.”
But the NSW government is continuing to collaborate with Commonwealth organizations to guarantee that the problem is resolved as soon as feasible and that all 21 crew members on board are taken to safety as soon as possible.