Bourbon fleet supplier Athena in distress

[Timsen]

at 5:25 a.m. (Paris time) the Athena, a Bourbon fleet multi purpose supply vessel operating under contract with Total E&P Congo, reported a technical incident provoking entry of water in the engine room.
The MPSV was 15 nautical miles off the coast of Congo, in transit between the oil fields of Likouala and East Tchibouela when the incident occurred.

In conformity with Bourbon and Total's safety management procedures, emergency committees were put in place immediately, on site in Pointe Noire and in France.


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To optimize operations the anchor was dropped to immobilize the ship and the engine compartments were cut off. The 63 people on board (26 crew members and 37 technicians) were immediately evacuated onto Total's barge situated in the vicinity.
The Athena was then towed by Achille, a Bourbon fleet Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel also under contract with Total E & P Congo, to the outer roadstead of Pointe Noire, where it is sheltering and safe since 7 p.m. Paris time.

All preventive measures have been taken and no pollution has been reported.

Pumping and water tightness of the hull are in progress before transferring the vessel to a shipyard for dry dock and repair.

[Glenn Kasner]

Crew were evacuated safely and the vessel towed to the coast and has apparently gone down in about 15m of water

[Timsen]

You mean it foundered?? Or is it anchored in a depth of 15 m?

[Glenn Kasner]

Yup
She's sitting on the bottom in 10m deep water and is apparently listing 75 deg.
It would appear that the seabed slopes quite radically and the vessels list has remained fairly constant

[Charles McAllister]

This from Bourbon:

"Due to poor weather conditions, pumping and water tightness operations on the Athena, which was towed and anchored yesterday evening to the outer roadstead of Pointe Noire in the Congo subsequent to water entry into the engine room, had to be stopped during the night. The ship is resting on a sandy bed at a depth of 10 metres and is listing over 50

[Timsen]

Any pictureas available?

[Glenn Kasner]

She is lying on her side with half the hull submerged, sad sight.
I have received pictures from the site but cannot post them as they are not mine

[rgr004]

Two Small pictures of the casualty can be viewed on the following link


http://www.congopage.com/article4796.html

roland