Stricken trawler adrift and dangerous

20 January 2016 - 02:39 By Bobby Jordan

The 20-metre fishing trawler involved in a collision with a bulk carrier could still be adrift in a busy shipping lane and has been declared a navigational hazard. No crew were lost in yesterday's accident involving Viking Fishing hake trawler MFV Lezandi and a Singapore-registered bulk carrier, MV Sunrise Jade.The vessels appear to have collided in foggy conditions 10 nautical miles south of Cape Point. Nearby vessels rushed to their aid.The circumstances still need to be investigated and the South African Maritime Safety Authority has issued a navigational warning to seafarers."The casualty vessel is at this stage semi-submerged, adrift and considered a danger to navigation," said Almar Schutte, operations supervisor for Samsa's Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre.It is the second accident involving a Viking Fishing trawler in recent months. In September, the 42-metre Lincoln lost 14 crew after they abandoned the vessel in stormy conditions 35 miles south-east of Cape Point.Viking Fishing yesterday denied MFV Lezandi still posed a navigational hazard, insisting she had sunk quickly after the collision.Viking Group financial director Rory Williams said the crew had returned home after receiving trauma counselling.Unlike the ill-fated Lincoln crew, who had to contend with winds of up to 100kmp/h, the Lezandi crew was able to deploy two life rafts...

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