Air-sea rescue but 'large ship' just disappears

Air-sea rescue but 'large ship' just disappears

www.dispatch.co.za

EMERGENCY sea rescue services in Durban and East London scrambled yesterday after reports of a mystery vessel in distress off the Wild Coast.

But nothing was found of the “large ship” that fired a red distress flare in a three-hour search last night. Helicopters will sweep the area again today.

(visit the link for the full news article)

The ship was spotted drifting very close to the shore. This whole stretch of coast is known as the Wild Coast and is literally a graveyard for ships. Now they can't find it - despite eyewitness reports of a distress flare.

Did it go down so quickly? Why can't they identify the ship? Where is the debris?

www.dispatch.co.za
(visit the link for the full news article)

Not sure if anyone remembers the Oceanos disaster, but this is the same area:

The Eastern Cape coast has some of the rockiest coastal features in Southern Africa, with rocky bays and submerged rocks. It was on this coast that the worst sea disaster in South Africa’s recent history took place, with the sinking of the MVS Oceanos, an ocean liner, in 1991. The South African Navy and the SAAF succeeded in rescuing all 571 people on board.

Link

Just read this D,A,N.
From Digital News:

Now it was accepted that the ship may not have been in any grave danger and most likely had continued its voyage. It was unlikely the NSRI would continue the search today. Lambinon was baffled why radio communication could not be established with the ship.

Raises a few questions, Why did it send a distress flare ? Why was communications down ? and more important what was its cargo ?

Port St Johns NSRI station commander John Costello described the incident as “strange”, saying passing boats had not heard anything from the mystery vessel. - By MSINDISI FENGU,

A vessel that does not want to be boarded for some reason ?

Any governmental unrest happening down south in Africa D,A,N



[edit on 12-5-2010 by foxhoundone]

reply to post by foxhoundone


Thank you - indeed, it is quite a mystery. Perhaps a conspiracy?

Recently a barge loaded with radioactive or toxic waste washed up on Mozambique's coast. I wonder if this was the ship that had been towing the barge?

The Mozambican authorities have found in the southern province of Inhambane, about 20 miles off the coast of Vilankulo, a small boat laden with 13 containers that the authorities suspect to be radioactive waste. According to the state Radio Mozambique, the authorities said that the barge, baptized "Anchorage", with no crew aboard, may have been abandoned in the Mozambican waters by a mother ship, probably from Singapore. The maritime authorities are currently waiting for the arrival of a tugboat to move the barge with the suspected radioactive material ashore, while it is being be strictly monitored by the Mozambican Navy. A high ranking official from the Inhambane government said that the 13 containers might be loaded with about 300 tons of what is supposed be radioactive waste.

Link

Did anyone actually see the ship or just the distress flare?

Even if the ship sank before rescuers were able to reach the scene they still would have found some sort of debris, bodies, etc. This is very odd.

reply to post by ChrisF231


It is very odd - all this indicates a ship that was in distress - perhaps with engine trouble, but had managed to get her engines working again. As to why a distress flare, and not a radio SOS, nobody knows.

One thing is for sure, the captain of this ship felt rescuing was the last resort.

Perhaps the distress flare was set off a crew member going against the orders of the captain?

Not sure if this relevant to the ship D,A,N
But reference the barge "Anchorage" and its cargo of waste material found on the coastline,
Mozal aluminium smelter, Could there be a link to this?

The Mozal aluminium smelter uses Aluminium Pechiney AP35 technology to produce standard aluminium ingots. Our Worsley refinery in Western Australia supplies alumina to the operation. Mozal also developed and operates a dedicated berth and other port terminal facilities at Matola, the port of Maputo.

Mozal 1, the US$1.34 billion development which was launched in 1998,.

Abit of "Bootleg" toxic recycling going on...

reply to post by foxhoundone


Hey, between you and I, our investigative journalism (and connecting the dots) may just solve this one.
Let's nail these bums!

Or we may be totally wrong.

I am going to contact the NSRI to see if there is anymore info, and to enquire about any possible link to the barge in Mozambique.

reply to post by deltaalphanovember

US 1.3 billion "development"!! Course there's something in it for TPTB, to invest this amount of money in Mozambique's economy Its stated they are one of the poorest countries in the world (CIA website), And who can properly keep tabs on shipping vessels in this vast stretch of land/sea on the eastern coast of Africa, With open sea routes from Est/Sth Est trading continents ??

I know there is a shipping website that tracks vessels from on board transponders, Maybe someone can give us a clue matey

Edit: Never Eat Shredded Wheat...

[edit on 12-5-2010 by foxhoundone]

The mystery deepens - people actually saw the ship:

A witness claimed to see the boat floating close to a place called the "hole in the wall". Rescue teams were sent out, two South African Air Force helicopters were sent out as well as sea rescue but no boats were found.

Apart from the witness that saw the ship other people saw it as well. The rescue efforts were all in vain and the NSRI wondered why they could not communicate with the ship by radio. The sea was rough and there were heavy winds that also made the search more dangerous.

Link

The search has been called off. The NSRI has a similiar theory to the one I offered:

As a result, the search was called off. Nonetheless, it was clear the lack of confirmation from the missing vessel was less than satisfactory to the NSRI. He said:
The only thing that puzzles us is that why did they not call us on the radio? Maybe they lost radio communications?
He added:
It might have been a fishing trawler. We think the vessel might have lost its engines, got its engines, and then went to deep sea.

Link

One other thing that ocurred to me is that if it was a fishing trawler, it may have been one of the many illegals (poaching fish in our waters).

This certainly is curious. NSRI has plenty experience in those waters.

If you lose engines there, you're dead, panicking is a good first reaction. But then disappearing?

Options:
1) illegal fishing?
2) illegal shipment?
2a) terrorist illegal?
2b) US illegal?
3) thats about it? I'm assuming any conventional ship would stick around after? Unless they wanted to avoid the charges that would be levied for distress response?

But how far can you actually move a ship within hours?

reply to post by harryhaller

Speculating here,

If you are the skipper of a "Trawler". What would be your first priority crewing a vessel with a dodgy engine in a notoriously dangerous area ?
My call (with a panicked crew) get into a safe port of call,

But their are gonna be questions asked, So this leaves me to think there was some insider help to get the vessel birthed, Because NSRI are gonna be miffed at getting their time wasted and checking out the local harbour masters offices for unexpected berthings ..

So i assume what HarryHaller states in his options No2, Illegal shipment ?
But of what is open for debate...

I will try and find a link to a video

huge ships can sink in seconds. An experiment was done ages ago and I watched the documentary. If the water around the boat becomes aerated enough the ship and can no longer displace its weight across the surface of the water. So it sinks, and blood fast like in seconds. In rough weather, the roiling water becomes vary aerated and would do the same. Like I said will try and get a video link to show you what I mean.


here you go: www.youtube.com...



[edit on 13-5-2010 by Stormwind™]

reply to post by Stormwind™


Thats an excellent suggestion, but i imagine it would be more likely in deep water?

That coast is treacherous, many ships have landed there, and ALL of them washed up on the rocks. Besides, a signal flare WAS sent, negates any instant sinking.

reply to post by harryhaller


I think the flare being sent does not negate instant sinking at all. Bit dismissive actually. Like saying a pilot wouldnt possibly be able to eject. And yet they do. A flare takes seconds to fire and a large ship would take at least a few mins to sink this way. And, depth has nothing to do with the theory. It just happens that in the experiment they were suggesting that it was an explanation for the B/Triangle. There being measured large methane bubble releases from that area.
So lets not get all debunky is such a rush to dismiss. A little too much of that on here.

The way it happens is the important thing. Decreased density of water due to aeration. As a surfer that happens all the time, and why you cannot surf the white stuff but stay ahead of it. Same principle.

In order to float you must have a surface area large enough to displace the weight of your craft. If the density of the water is dramatically decreased this requires you grow in surface area to match it. As you cant, you sink.

lol - depth of water is kind of not important when it comes to this principle. And despite your saying it could not be, it easily could and is more believable than your suggestion - no wait you did not have one. Well dude, boats dont just vanish. something makes them. And if it happens on a shoreline, you get a whole sh!tload of wreckage.

I'm only messing, but really debunking seems to be utmost in peoples minds on here. Thats not truth seeking. Seeking the truth involves getting evidence, not opinion, but evidence like the vid above, as to why something is or is not, or could be. Just cause people say, FAKE, it isnt at all.

Exactly, I am thinking - no wreckage, then nothing sank.

Somebody fired off the flag ... I suggest we look for that person's corpse on the nearby coastline.

Mmmmmm there's no precedent for methane releases anywhere in SA, except for the highveld where they mine really deep dwn.

DAN i'm with you, there'll be a body.

I'm still curious as to how is came to be, i had assumed that the nay woul know each and every vessel on our coast, it USED to be that way.

Apparently now they haven't got a clue. Sound familiar?