Team Geared Up

RTE News are reporting that a tanker has lost power off Tusker rock.

I found the following stats on the Breaksea. The photo above is of an identical vessel.

Deadweight: 1.674 mts
Draft: 3.77
Loa: 69.89
Beam: 11.20
Flag: British
Class: Lloyds
Imo: 8416463
Hull: Double Bottom
Built: 1985
Cubic (98%): 1987
Coating: Epoxy
Segregations: 4
Speed: 9.60
Heating: NO

Fairplay to the RNLI for holding position. That’s some weight in the water, the LE Aoife or Eithne are about our only ships I’d imagine capable of towing this thing long distance!

The naval vessel, the LE Aoife, is currently towing a British-registered oil tanker which is still drifting off the Wexford coast.

The ship, the Breaksea, is being towed away from the Tusker Rock Lighthouse - which it had earlier been drifting towards.

The owners of the tanker have sent two tugs to help with the operation.

The first is due to arrive at 11pm tonight and the second is expected at about 1am tomorrow morning. The tugs will then lead the vessel into Waterford port.

There is no damage to the vessel.

The Breaksea contacted the Coastguard just after 4pm this afternoon after the tanker’s engines shut down in rough sea conditions.

The Kilmore Quay and Rosslare lifeboats were sent to the scene and the LE Aoife was also mobilised.

The Kilmore Quay lifeboat put a line on the Breaksea to hold it until the LE Aoife arrived.

The Breaksea weighs 1,500 tonnes, is 70 metres long and has a crew of eight. It is carrying 1,500 tonnes of kerosene.