Author Topic: Help locating and identifying a ship!  (Read 12014 times)

Offline quocvo

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Help locating and identifying a ship!
« on: February 10, 2019, 03:14:49 PM »
Hello everyone.  I am new here and have come across your forum as a last ditched attempt to identify and locate a particular ship and its crew.  If this is not the right place, then can ADMIN delete this post please?

A bit of background.

My family and I were all saved by a Greek ship on 20/06/1985 called the KRITI RUBY.

I am trying to locate the captain or any crew member of that ship who rescued us.  All I have is a photo of the ship, the captain and some of the crew members at the time which was given to us as a gift - I have attached this. 

We fled Vietnam along with 57 others including myself, my brother, my mother and my father.   I was 8 months and my brother 8 years old.

We escaped on a small wooden Vietnamese fishing boat due to the Vietcong regime and political situations in Vietnam at the time.  We were stranded at sea for one month.  During which time, we saw five ships come and go.

We were on the brink of dehydration and starvation.  Some on board had perished.   It was only then that the Kriti Ruby comes to our rescue and saved us.  The doctor on the Kriti Ruby ship said that I was very close to death.  They took us to Singapore on approximately 22/06/1985.

We now live in England, United Kingdom and I've been on a mission over the last few years to try and identify the ship and its crew.  I have not had any success. 

I know that there is currently a ship called the Kriti Ruby:

Class:   Танкеры
Builder:   SPP Shipbuilding / Tongyoung Shipyard  Republic of Korea Тхонъён (экс Чхунму)
Yard number:   S1016
Keel laid:   08.01.2008
Launched:   15.04.2008
Built:   25.07.2008
Home Port:   Пирей 
Owner and manager:   Avin International SA  Greece
IMO:   9391282
Registry:   ABS
Registry number:   08175191
Registry class:   ✠A1, Chemical Carrier, Oil Carrier, ESP, Ⓔ, ✠AMS, ✠ACCU, SH, SHCM
Call sign:   SVAT5
MMSI:   240941000
Current state:    Operating
Remarks:   Рег.владелец: Kriti Ruby ENE

However, I do not believe the above ship is the same which rescued us.

Perhaps someone here knows where else I could go?  Maybe there is a historical record somewhere to determine the ship's details?  Sadly, the Greek Embassy was not able to assist me.

I don't want to give up.

I am grateful for any assistance users of this forum can give. 

Offline Aleksi Lindström

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2019, 03:34:56 PM »
Hello there, that was quite a story!

You can find six photos of the ship you are interested in on Shipspotting:

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/search.php?search_imo=7635414

Hope this helps you further!

Kind regards,
Aleksi

Offline quocvo

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2019, 03:37:49 PM »
That's brilliant.  Thank you so much Aleksi.

The link you have provided is the only other photos I have of this ship. 

One small step at a time.  I will be sure to post back if ever I can find the crew.

Offline libertyshiplad

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2019, 05:34:04 PM »
One of the six photos by Leo Johannes has a comment by Acrop.He seems to know everything there is to know about Greek shipowners and gives the owner of the Kriti Ruby.
Maybe there is a lead there or he may be able to help you further.
Wish you every success in your quest.
Colin

Offline quocvo

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2019, 05:37:32 PM »
Hi Colin.  That's a great spot.  I have just emailed him.  Thank you!

Offline Astra

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2019, 10:28:11 PM »
What a touching story.

Kriti Rubi to me looks like a cargo vessel of Avin International S. A.  ( Avin Liners ). You can contact this company via their web site www.avin.gr -       by mail to Avin International S.A., Irodou Attikou 12 A, Maroussi 15124, Athens, Greece - by email to [email protected] or by phone. Their telephone numbers are also on their web site.

Good luck.     

Offline quocvo

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2019, 11:37:10 PM »
Thank you for the information. 

I only found out the Avin Liners link from the forum and it is my first real lead in years.  I wish I had thought about coming here sooner.

I worry I may be too late because the Captian might no longer be with us, but I feel I owe it to his family and crew to try my best to get in touch with someone to show our gratitude. 

Offline quocvo

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2019, 06:48:29 PM »
I have another question if I may.  The ship status is shown as "dead".  I assume that means it no longer exists?  Is there a way to find out when it went out of service?

Avin has not replied to me yet.  They are such a huge company so I doubt they will reply.  I will give them a call next week after giving them some time to respond. 

Offline miraflores

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2019, 08:35:13 PM »
Broken up in 2011

Offline quocvo

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2019, 08:41:58 PM »
Thank you!

Offline quocvo

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2019, 06:28:02 PM »
Good news!!!!

I have located the Captain.  He is still alive and remembers me.  He even has photos of me which I have never seen before. 

Thank you everyone for your help!  If it wasn't for your forum, I would not have had the vital lead to contact Avin. 

The plan is now to arrange for my family to visit the captain and his crew in Greece.  When this happens, I will be sure to post a reunion photo for you all.

I am forever grateful. 

Offline libertyshiplad

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2019, 07:03:30 PM »
Very pleased for you,that's a fantastic outcome.
I cannot seem to view the photo you attached to your first post.
Is it due to Admin policy of not showing people or crew?

Offline quocvo

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2019, 07:05:24 PM »
Thank you.

I am not sure.  I can still see it. 

Offline quocvo

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2019, 08:10:39 PM »
I am not sure if people are interested in this as well, but Avins supplied me with a document containing some information on the ship.  I can't see anything sensitive or confidential on there, so I am sharing this with you all in good faith.  Maybe the information is publicly available anyway.  

MODS, please delete if this cannot be shared.

Offline Pilot Frans

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Re: Help locating and identifying a ship!
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2019, 11:09:16 AM »
An Amazing storing.
Excellent you found the captain. In such a relatively short period.

 

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