Heavy lift carrier Annette was reported adrift after a fire in the Bosphorus Strait off Haydarpasa. The fire was in the engine room, caused by a short circuit. The vessel was en route from Constanta, Romania to Rotterdam, Netherlands. The crew put out the fire, but the vessel remained adrift without propulsion power in the shipping channel, being pushed to the shore by heavy transverse winds. Two salvage tugs towed and secured the freighter at Ahirkapi Anchorage, where it was anchored for repair and safety inspection. Bosphorus Strait traffic was disturbed, but without resulting in serious congestion. Annette is 9,417dwt and 8,383grt. According to database Annette is covered through Gard P&I (Bermuda) through owner-operator SAL Heavy Lift GmbH. Hull & Machinery claims leader is Gard AS.
The US Coast Guard and at least four offshore supply vessels responded to a fire on an oil production platform near Grand Isle, Louisiana that was reported around 02.30am local time and was extinguished some four hours later. The platform belongs to Houston-based Renaissance Offshore LLC. There were four people aboard the platform who evacuated into the water; they were rescued by offshore supply vessel Mary Wyatt Milano, without reported injuries. Currently there are no reports of pollution.
The US Coast Guard has fined a Washington state man $9,500 for shining a high-powered laser at the wheelhouse of Washington State Ferry WSF Tokitae in October 2016. The USCG reported that on October 22nd 2016 Mark Raden of Freeland, Washington was aboard WSF Kitsap, transiting between Mukilteo and
Clinton, when he pointed the laser at the WSF Tokitae, striking the vessel’s master and chief mate in the eyes. The attacked vessel had 106 passengers on board at the time. Raden was assessed a $9,500 civil penalty by the Coast Guard Hearing Officer for interfering with the safe operation of the vessel. He also pled guilty to reckless endangerment in Island County Superior Court for his conduct and was ordered to serve 15 days in jail, perform 240 hours of community service, and pay $3,740.89 in restitution to the master and chief mate. He will also serve 24 months of probation.
Ship traffic was denied access to Los Angeles Harbour on Wednesday when the US Coast Guard closed the harbour entrance after reports from several passengers on a nearby cruise ship of a two-person helicopter crashing near San Pedro. The small helicopter was reported going down by numerous passengers on a cruise ship in the vicinity. The USCG shut off access to the harbour and put in place a 1,000-foot safety zone. Port Police and several area fire departments helped, but by sundown there was no debris or any signs of a crash.