Amver ship rescues 26 from burning tanker

The Amver participating bulk carrier Maiden Voyage rescued 26 crewmen from the tanker Theresa Bitung after it caught fire while sailing from China's Zhoushan Islands to Singapore on Wednesday, November 27, 2013.

According to reports from the Maiden Voyage, they were only 22 miles away from the tanker when they heard the distress call. Maiden Voyage Captain Hernesto Caluya immediately notified rescue authorities, alerted other ships in the area, and diverted the Supramax carrier to rescue the crew of the Theresa Bitung.

Within an hour of the initial distress call the master of the Theresa Bitung reported the fire was out of control and the entire crew was abandoning ship. The Maiden Voyage arrived shortly thereafter and lowered a rescue boat, embarking all 26 crew members from a lifeboat and two rafts.

Captain Caluya notified all ships in the area the crew of the Theresa Bitung were safe and had his ship continue to Hong Kong. The Marshall Island flagged Maiden Voyage, manage by Starbulk Carriers of Athens, Greece, enrolled in the Amver system  on January 2, 2013 and will earn its first Amver participation award in 2014.


Photo credit: crew of the Maiden Voyage