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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Two killed as wave strikes tanker | Two killed as wave strikes tanker |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Two men have died and a third has been airlifted to hospital after being hit by a huge wave on an oil tanker in the Pentland Firth. | Two men have died and a third has been airlifted to hospital after being hit by a huge wave on an oil tanker in the Pentland Firth. |
| The incident happened after the tanker FR8 Venture left Scapa Flow, Orkney, heading for Texas in the US, in "horrendous" weather conditions. | |
| The third man is in a serious condition in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. | |
| Northern Constabulary has launched an investigation. Officers have boarded the tanker to carry out enquiries. | |
| The wave struck the men as they stood on the deck of the tanker, which turned back after the incident. | |
| The alarm was raised at 1240 GMT on Saturday when the Singapore-registered tanker contacted Shetland Coastguard to report that three crewmen had been injured. | The alarm was raised at 1240 GMT on Saturday when the Singapore-registered tanker contacted Shetland Coastguard to report that three crewmen had been injured. |
| Winched on board | Winched on board |
| A coastguard rescue helicopter from Stornoway was scrambled to assist and Longhope RNLI lifeboat was launched with a doctor on board. | A coastguard rescue helicopter from Stornoway was scrambled to assist and Longhope RNLI lifeboat was launched with a doctor on board. |
| The doctor was winched on board the vessel, but found that two of the crew had died. | The doctor was winched on board the vessel, but found that two of the crew had died. |
| The third was taken to hospital in the coastguard helicopter. | The third was taken to hospital in the coastguard helicopter. |
| The coastguard said the tanker had entered the Pentland Firth when the wave came over its bow. | |
| Neil Cummins, watch manager at Shetland Coastguard, said conditions at the time had been "horrendous". | Neil Cummins, watch manager at Shetland Coastguard, said conditions at the time had been "horrendous". |
| "There were westerly winds of force eight to force 10, that's somewhere around 60mph, very heavy seas and a high swell," he said. | "There were westerly winds of force eight to force 10, that's somewhere around 60mph, very heavy seas and a high swell," he said. |
| "The vessel is 42,000 gross tonnes, a very large crude oil carrier, and it took the wave over the bow. The three men working on the front end were hit by it. | "The vessel is 42,000 gross tonnes, a very large crude oil carrier, and it took the wave over the bow. The three men working on the front end were hit by it. |
| "The ship has now returned to an anchorage in the Orkney islands in Scapa Flow." | "The ship has now returned to an anchorage in the Orkney islands in Scapa Flow." |
| He said the helicopter and lifeboat crew had worked in extreme weather conditions to save the life of the third crewman. | He said the helicopter and lifeboat crew had worked in extreme weather conditions to save the life of the third crewman. |
| The tanker, which had taken on crude oil from another vessel before heading for Houston in Texas, has now returned to Scapa Flow. | |
| The tanker, which is less than a year old, is owned by Freight Ship Management PTC Ltd. | The tanker, which is less than a year old, is owned by Freight Ship Management PTC Ltd. |