Source: Heavy Lift News
21.00 CET Update
The main engine has failed. Weather forecast until 18.00 tomorrow, Wednesday 7 April:
North 7 to severe gale 9, backing northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: high or very high, decreasing and becoming very rough later.
13.45 CET Update:
Smit Salvage have been engaged to recover MV Eemslift Hendrika. Smit Salvage Team to arrive in Norway when Corona Virus conditions permit, within 24 hours at latest.
Salvage Vessel not yet appointed.
12.40 CET Update:
Norwegian Coast Guard vessel Sortland is 1 mile off of Mobile Crane Operator qualification.
11.30 CET Update:
Norwegian Coast Guard vessel Sortland is 10 mile SSE of MV Eemslift Hendrika, making 8knots.
Full Report:
Norwegian rescue teams airlifted 8 of the 12 man crew from Dutch registered heavy lift vessel Eemslift Hendrika. Later it was decided, at 20.00 yesterday, to airlift the Captain and three remaining crew members as conditions worsened. A crew member was taken to hospital with injuries.
Currently the abandoned vessel is underway on autopilot heading South South East on its own engine which is also reported to have serious problems. A Norwegian Coast Guard vessel and tugs are heading towards the vessel’s location to stand by.
Current weather conditions are 15m to 18m swell with a Northwesterly storm force 10 increasing violent storm force 11.
The vessel was on a voyage from Bremerhaven to Kolvereid, Norway with deck cargo of vessels and vessel sections.
