Written by AdminSailor
All 24 crew members of the "Focomar" have been evacuated from Salah Island safe and sound on August 18.
They were taken to Jibouti, ETA Aug 21.
They have been provided with water and food by locals and by helicopter. It was not yet known why the crew abandoned the vessel.
The ship FOCOMAR (IMO: 9445681, MMSI: 353211000) is a Cargo ship registered in Panama
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Abandoned bulk carrier Focomar is on tow, crew is on island to be rescued by Navy
Aug. 11, 2015 at 14:57 by Mikhail Voytenko in Accidents 478
1730 UTC Aug 11:
According to latest more or less reliable and confirmed information, abandoned bulk carrier is afloat, to be towed to Jibouti, by UAE tug Mubarak Challenger (IMO: 9542958). Tug is already on the site and most probably, already took vessel on tow.
The crew is on the island Samhah southwest of Socotra, to be picked up by Navy ship, nationality of the ship unknown.
Vessel’s final destination was China, ship repair yard. Vessel is suffering regular breakdowns and mechanical failures due to one simple reason, FOCOMAR was built in China.
Questions remain open:
Why crew abandoned vessel which is apparently in no danger of sinking;
Why relatives couldn’t connect crew since July 27-29;
Why shipowner is so unwilling to communicate;
Why locals, Yemen first of all, believe the vessel is Russian.
Relatives of Ukrainian crew members already contacted Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
Situation must be under control until crew is taken off island.
Voytenko Mikhail