All 20 crew members have been safely airlifted from an MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company container ship that grounded off Canada on Saturday.
The 2,478-teu MSC Baltic III (built 2003) got stuck on a beach 12 miles (19.3 km) outside the entrance to Bay of Islands, Newfoundland and Labrador, following a loss of power, the Canadian Coast Guard said.
The Marine Communications and Traffic Services in Port aux Basques received a mayday from the Liberian-flagged ship on Saturday morning.
“Weather and sea conditions in the area are unfavourable and the vessel was unable to secure an anchor and ran aground in Wild Cove west of Lark Harbour,” the Coast Guard added.
All seafarers were evacuated by a Cormorant helicopter. The cause and extent of the incident are not yet known.
The vessel left Montreal on 3 February and was heading to Corner Brook.
On Sunday, the Coast Guard provided said that, with the crew rescued, the focus was shifting to assisting with the salvage effort, and the marine environmental and hazards response.
Weather in the area continued to be a factor as work went on to assess the situation and determine the next steps.
Canadian Coast Guard crews and Eastern Canada Response Corporation representatives were establishing a staging area in Lark Harbour.
An emergency zone of two nautical miles has been established around the incident area to facilitate operations and support marine safety.
Additional Canadian Coast Guard crews and equipment were en route.
The CCGS Jean Goodwill vessel will move to the site from Canso in Nova Scotia as weather permits, and the CCGS Henry Larsen was standing by in Corner Brook.
Overflights to assess the situation had been expected to take place on Sunday, pending weather conditions, the Coast Guard added.
Owner MSC has been “cooperating and responsive”, and a team from the salvage company contracted by the owner was expected in the area on Sunday.
The vessel has insurance through Steamship Mutual in the UK.
The MSC Baltic III has a clean port state control detention record.
The last safety check in the US in November found one deficiency relating to the provision and disposition of lifebuoys.
MSC has been contacted for further information.(Copyright)
