Jork, IMO 7726988

[Kelvin Davies]

According to the BBC this morning, the general cargo vessel, Jork, collided last night with a gas rig about 40 miles of the coast of UK.
The ship, which was carrying grain from Lubeck, collided with the Viking Echo platform.
The crew jumped overboard but the German captain tried to save his ship.
He and his crew have been detained by the Norfolk police.
Frederick was lucky, he seems to have taken the last photograph of this ship just 2 weeks ago at Willebroek:
http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=463423

Kelvin

[Guest]

Hi Kelvin

It will be interesting to learn just how this happened - hitting a gas platform?

This from the Guardian Unlimited @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-6828485,00.html

"Crew saved after platform collision
Press Association
Sunday August 5, 2007 7:08 AM

The crew of a cargo ship have been rescued after the vessel collided with a gas platform off the Norfolk coast.

Yarmouth Coastguard said the Jork struck the unmanned Viking Echo platform 40 miles north east of Cromer just before 6pm on Saturday.

The 95m vessel had been carrying grain from Lubeck in Germany.

A coastguard spokesman said the Jork was listing heavily and six crew members wearing lifejackets had to be rescued from the sea.

The captain remained on board to try to save the ship but also had to be rescued.

Two Yarmouth Coastguard boats and a rescue helicopter from RAF Wattisham attended the incident.

All crew have been accounted for, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said: "The Jork's engines stopped and the vessel remains on the surface some one mile from the site of the incident although she is looking in a poor state.

"One crew member, the master, remained for a while on board the stricken vessel in an effort to pump out the vessel. However, as the vessel listed still further he also went into the sea and has now been picked up."

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is carrying out an investigation into the incident.

Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2007, All Rights Reserved.

This Press Release from the MCA @ http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-newsroom/mcga-press-releases.htm?id=C8EF441B693A81CA&m=8&y=2007

Press Notice No: Duty Notice 4
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Posted 19:43 GMT

CARGO VESSEL IN COLLISION WITH UNMANNED PLATFORM

Yarmouth Coastguard are currently co-ordinating assistance to the 1978 built motor vessel `Jork which struck the unmanned platform `Viking Echo 40 miles north east of Cromer just before 6.00 pm this evening.

The 95 metre 3,169 DWT general cargo vessel flying the Antigua & Barbuda flag had been travelling from Lubeck to New Holland East, carrying grain. The Coastguard is attempting to contact the vessels agents New Holland Shipping.

Standby vessels `Putford Puffin and `Putford Terminator steamed straight to the scene. The `Jork immediately began listing heavily to 30 degrees and 6 crew wearing lifejackets went into the sea. However they were quickly recovered to the daughter craft of the `Putford Puffin and have now all been accounted for.

The `Jorks engines stopped and the vessel remains on the surface some one mile from the site of the incident although she is looking in a poor state. One crew member, the Master, remained for a while on board the stricken vessel in an effort to pump out the vessel however as the vessel listed still further and is settling by the bow he also went into the sea and has now been picked up. All crew have therefore been accounted for.

A rescue helicopter from RAF Wattisham was scrambled to the scene. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Secretary of States Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention have also been informed. The rescue standby vessel `Sartor is currently standing by the stricken vessel.

Regards

Steve Ellwood

[Guest]

Hi Kelvin

I see that the Jork has now sunk.

Regards

Steve Ellwood

[Guest]

Hi All

Latest on this incident sugests that the hullof the Jork had been breached by its cargo of wheat "swelling"?


"Police probe North Sea sinking

ED FOSS

05 August 2007 12:29

A ship's captain was being questioned by police today after a cargo vessel collided with a gas platform 40 miles north east of Cromer and sunk several hours later.

The 2000-tonne Jork struck the unmanned Viking Echo platform just before 6pm on Saturday and sunk at about 8am this morning.

The vessel had been carrying grain from Lubeck in Germany and was destined for the River Humber. The grain is thought to have played a part in the sinking once the collision had happened.

The Jork sunk after bursting its hull, caused by the wheat on board

[Guest]

Hi All

From http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=13306 appears that the Skipper of the Jork has been charged under British Legislation:


"UK. Jork master breathalysed, charged and released on bail after sinking

Sunday, 05 August 2007

The Polish master of the 95 metre 3,169 DWT general cargo vessel, Jork, which sank today, after striking the unmanned platform Viking Echo 40 miles north east of Cromer yesterday evening, has been charged under Section 78 of the Railway and Transport Safety Act of 2004.

Section 78 applies to a professional seaman in a ship at a time when he is not on duty, but in the event of an emergency he would, or might, be required by the nature or terms of his engagement or employment to take action. A person to whom this section applies commits an offence if his ability to take the required action is impaired because of drink or drugs.

Where a person is charged with an offence under this section in respect of the effect of a drug on his ability to take action it is a defence for him to show that he took the drug for a medicinal purpose on, and in accordance with, medical advice, or he took the drug for a medicinal purpose and had no reason to believe that it would impair his ability to take the action.

After being charged the master of the Jork was released on bail and will appear before Great Yarmouth Court tomorrow (Monday) at 10. 30 am.

The Jork has sunk in 27 metres of water, clear of any oil pipelines. There is little risk of pollution as she was powered by diesel engines and thus any fuel spilt will disperse quickly.

Aldous Grenville-Crowther"

Regards

Steve Ellwood

[Guest]

Hi All

This article suggests that the Skipper was drunk  :-?


Ship crash captain is charged Aug 6 2007

A Polish captain has been accused of crashing a cargo vessel into a gas platform while drunk.

Zbigniew Karkowski, 56, was arrested after the Jork struck the unmanned Viking Echo platform 40 miles north east of Cromer, Norfolk just before 6pm on Saturday.

Police have now charged Karkowski, from Szczecin, Poland, with being drunk in charge of a sea vessel and said he was being held in custody.

He is due to appear at Skegness Magistrates' Court.

Six other Polish crew members, who were rescued from the sea, have been found accommodation in Norfolk, police said.

The 2000-tonne vessel, which had been carrying grain from Lubeck in Germany, sunk in deep water.

Mario Siano, watch manager at Yarmouth Coastguard, said the vessel became submerged after bursting its hull, caused by the wheat on board "swelling".

The coastguard was called after reports the Jork was listing heavily. Coastguards said the captain had remained on board to try to save the ship, which was destined for the River Humber, before being rescued.

Two coastguard boats and an RAF rescue helicopter attended the incident.

A spokesman for gas suppliers ConocoPhillips said only "very slight" damage had been caused to its platform.
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0600uk/tm_headline=ship-crash-captain-is-charged&method=full&objectid=19577158&siteid=50082-name_page.html

Regards

Steve Ellwood

[Guest]

Hi All

Latest on the outcome of the Court Case held today, piece courtesy of Maritime Global Net @ http://www.mgn.com/news/dailystorydetails.cfm?storyid=7967

"MASTER ON DRINK CHARGES
Monday, 06 August 2007

THE Polish master of a Antigua & Barbuda-flag dry cargo ship has appeared in in UK court today accused of being drunk in charge of a cargo vessel when crashed into a North Sea gas platform. The 3,169 dwt, 1978-built Jork eventually sank close to the platform. Zbigniew Krakowski, 56, did not enter a plea and was remanded into custody to appear at Skegness Magistrates' Court on August 13. Standby vessels Putford Puffin and Putford Terminator were quickly on scene as the Jork began listing heavily and six crew wearing lifejackets went into the sea. They were quickly recovered by the Putford Puffin's rescue boat. The master initially stayed on board but abandoned the vessel as it started to settle by the head.

The local Mission to Seafarers provided care and support to the crew after the Maritime and Coastguard Agency asked the Mission to Seafarers

[mooringman]

this story is true but she is almost unbelievable.....what kind of idiots are captains of vessels like this and what kind of owners are responsible for the crews???

[Guest]

mooringman wrote:
this story is true but she is almost unbelievable.....what kind of idiots are captains of vessels like this and what kind of owners are responsible for the crews???

Hi Klaus

It could have been far worse of course - luckily the damage caused was minimum. albeit the Jork later sinking, but can you imagine what danger it could have caused to the Gas Platform!
No doubt further infomation will come out as part of the pending Court Case ad the inquiry being carried out by the British Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA).

Regards

Steve Ellwood

[Guest]

Hi All

A little more about the allegations made against the Skipper of the Jork - as reported by the Great Yarmouth Mercury@
http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/content/yarmouthmercury/news/story.aspx?brand=GYMOnline&category=news&tBrand=GYMonline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED07%20Aug%202007%2009%3A28%3A52%3A993

"Sunk ship skipper faces drink charge

07 August 2007

The Polish skipper accused of being drunk in charge of a cargo vessel which crashed into a North Sea gas platform and sank at the weekend appeared in court yesterday.

Zbigniew Krakowski was arrested after the 2,000-tonne Jork struck the unmanned Viking Echo platform 40 miles north-east of Cromer just before 6pm on Saturday. The ship, which was loaded with grain and was travelling from the German port of Lubeck to New Holland, on the Humber, sunk some 12 hours later.

The 56-year-old, from Szczecin in Poland, has been charged with being more than twice the legal alcohol limit. When he was breathalysed after the collision it is alleged that he registered 94 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath, the legal limit - the same as for driving a car on UK roads - is 35 microgrammes.

Krakowski appeared before Boston Magistrates' Court charged with being drunk in charge of a sea vessel, a breach of the 2003 Railway and Transport Safety Act.

He did not enter a plea and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth. He listened to the proceedings with the help of an interpreter.

Magistrates remanded Krakowski into custody to appear at Skegness Magistrates' Court on August 13.

The vessel eventually sank in deep water around 500 yards away from the platform.

Since the accident, the Mission to Seafarers has provided care and support to the remaining seven Polish crew members, who were rescued from the sea after the collision.

Yarmouth's mayor Paul Garrod, who is also a hotelier, offered emergency accommodation for the men for the first night.

The mission's chaplain in Yarmouth, the Rev Peter Paine, has also provided a supply of fresh clothes with help from his Felixstowe colleague, Geoff Moore.

[Guest]

Hi All

Latest update on the criminal case against the Skipper of the Jork:

Story from RT