The cargo ship UHL Freedom drifted in the North Sea about 29 kilometers north of the Dutch island of Schiermonnikoog after its anchor lost traction with the seabed. Five of the 25 crew members were injured, the Royal Netherlands Maritime Rescue Society (KNRM) and the Dutch Coast Guard said.
Two of the injured were taken from the ship by a coast guard helicopter and taken to the University Medical Center in Groningen. The severity of their injuries was not reported. A medical specialist was lowered onto the ship in advance to provide assistance to the remaining victims.
“Five people on board were injured“, a KNRM spokesman was quoted by Dutch media. The cause of the injuries was not specified.
The ship began to drift uncontrollably
The UHL Freedom is a nearly 150-meter-long heavy-lift cargo ship under the Portuguese flag. It is designed to transport heavy cargo, including large machinery and equipment for wind farms.
The vessel was in an anchorage area when the anchor began to drag along the bottom. This led to its gradual drift by the wind and current. According to the coast guard, the wind in the area was force 9 on the Beaufort scale, and the waves reached about 4.5 meters.
Initially, the incident was described as a problem with a tanker, but it was later clarified that it was a heavy cargo ship.
Dutch and German rescuers were sent
Three KNRM rescue boats from Emshaven, Schiermonnikoog and Ameland were headed to the scene. A coast guard helicopter and plane, as well as German rescue teams, were involved in the operation.
The coast guard rescue tug Guardian and the German tug Nordic were sent to the UHL Freedom. According to the coast guard, it could take several hours to reach the ship. As of the latest confirmed information, there is no information about the final control of the ship or the condition of the remaining crew members.
Sources: nos.nl, hartvannederland.nl, rtvnof.nl