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Cornwall coastguards rescue grounded Russian cargo ship Cornwall coastguards rescue grounded Russian cargo ship
(35 minutes later)
A stranded Russia cargo ship has been rescued from a beach off Cornwall after a dramatic high-tide operation to tug it to safety. A Russian cargo ship stranded near a Cornish beach has been tugged to safety in a dramatic high-tide operation.
The emergency services in Cornwall declared a major incident after the 16,000-tonne Kuzma Minin grounded off Falmouth’s Gyllyngvase beach before dawn with 18 Russian crew, but no cargo, on board. Emergency services declared a major incident after the 16,000-tonne Kuzma Minin grounded off Falmouth’s Gyllyngvase beach before dawn.
Shortly after 2pm a live video stream of the 180-metre boat showed it being tugged out to sea by three Falmouth harbour tugs. The boat’s 18 Russian crew remained on board. Shortly after 2pm a live video stream showed the 180-metre boat being tugged out to sea by three Falmouth harbour tugs. The boat’s 18 Russian crew remained on board.
For more than an hour, black smoke could be seen billowing from the ship’s funnel as its engines were fired up to help straining tugs attempting to pull it back out to sea. For more than an hour, black smoke could be seen billowing from the ship’s funnel as its engines were fired up to help the straining tugs attempting to pull it back out to sea.
First the tugs managed to shift the bow of the boat almost 90 degrees, but the stern remained beached for almost an hour after high tide at 1.15pm. There were several reports that tug lines snapped during the operation. The tugs managed to shift the bow of the boat almost 90 degrees, but the stern remained beached for almost an hour after high tide at 1.15pm. There were several reports that tug lines snapped during the operation.
But as the tide began to turn spectators cheered as the boat’s stern was finally pulled clear of the beach. As the tide began to turn, spectators cheered as the boat’s stern was pulled clear of the beach.
They only went and did it pic.twitter.com/VMBtkSKgbjThey only went and did it pic.twitter.com/VMBtkSKgbj
Earlier, the coastguard said the Kuzma Minin had grounded at 5.40am after dragging its anchor during strong winds. The coastguard said the Kuzma Minin, which was carrying no cargo, grounded at 5.40am after dragging its anchor during strong winds.
It had said a lifeboat was standing by and the Falmouth coastguard rescue team had cordoned off an area around the ship. At around 9am, a coastguard rescuer was winched from a helicopter on to the stranded ship, in a moment captured on video.
At around 9am, a coastguard pilot was winched onto the stranded ship via helicopter, in a moment captured on video.
On BBC Radio Cornwall, Marc Thomas, the coastguard’s senior operations manager, said the boat appeared to be touching rocks but no pollution had been reported.On BBC Radio Cornwall, Marc Thomas, the coastguard’s senior operations manager, said the boat appeared to be touching rocks but no pollution had been reported.
Just over half a hour until high tide. Will the tugs be able to free the #KuzmaMinin from where she has run aground at #Gyllyngvase #Falmouth. Fingers crossed. pic.twitter.com/90POLSc20UJust over half a hour until high tide. Will the tugs be able to free the #KuzmaMinin from where she has run aground at #Gyllyngvase #Falmouth. Fingers crossed. pic.twitter.com/90POLSc20U
Speaking from the scene at 11.20am, Harry Dennis, a science and policy officer from Surfers Against Sewage, said part of the boat appeared to be free of the beach. “It is rocking with the waves, but it seems that the stern of the ship is still grounded,” he told the Guardian. “It has rotated so it looks as if the bow could be free.”Speaking from the scene at 11.20am, Harry Dennis, a science and policy officer from Surfers Against Sewage, said part of the boat appeared to be free of the beach. “It is rocking with the waves, but it seems that the stern of the ship is still grounded,” he told the Guardian. “It has rotated so it looks as if the bow could be free.”
The vessel was reported to have set off from the port of Terneuzen in the Netherlands. The vessel was reported to have set off from the port of Terneuzen in the Netherlands. Data from the shipping monitoring site Marine Traffic showed the Kuzma Minin started to move ashore just after 4am when southerly winds were gusting at around 55mph.
Falmouth’s former senior pilot captain David Barnicoat said the grounding occurred during “horrendous” winds.Falmouth’s former senior pilot captain David Barnicoat said the grounding occurred during “horrendous” winds.
He told BBC Radio Cornwall: “It’s a classic grounding in bad weather and strong winds. The wind overnight was pretty horrendous. Where I live I hadn’t heard wind like it for quite a few years.”He told BBC Radio Cornwall: “It’s a classic grounding in bad weather and strong winds. The wind overnight was pretty horrendous. Where I live I hadn’t heard wind like it for quite a few years.”
Of the ship, he said: “It sounds as if she dragged anchor and the engines may not have been ready or she may have had some other problem. Once that anchor breaks from the seabed and you start dragging then you have no control whatsoever.”Of the ship, he said: “It sounds as if she dragged anchor and the engines may not have been ready or she may have had some other problem. Once that anchor breaks from the seabed and you start dragging then you have no control whatsoever.”
He said he was not sure the tugs could pull the boat to safety.
“Our tugs won’t be powerful enough to get her off unless the wind dies right away. You need something of about 100 tonnes and we just don’t have that available.”
He also warned of the risk of pollution. “Just to the south-west of the beach it is all rocky shoreline so there is potential for pollution.”
Data from the shipping monitoring site Marine Traffic showed the Kuzma Minin started to move ashore just after 4am when southerly winds were gusting at around 55mph.
Marine Traffic chart showing how the Kuzma Minin dragged anchor before running aground off Falmouth pic.twitter.com/S0poWtGnCpMarine Traffic chart showing how the Kuzma Minin dragged anchor before running aground off Falmouth pic.twitter.com/S0poWtGnCp
Dennis said Surfers Against Sewage were monitoring the rescue attempts. “We are going to be reporting if anything changes, particularly if there is any potential pollution incident. We know that this vessel wasn’t carrying cargo, but there will be fuel tanks on board.” Jess Hughes, a Falmouth resident, described the weather on the Cornish coast as “extreme”. “As you come over the crest of the hill there’s just this huge ship where there shouldn’t be,” she told the Press Association. “Last night it was horrendously windy and now there’s gravel up by the road so it was a good high tide.”
The Falmouth resident Jess Hughes described the weather on the Cornish coast as “extreme”.
“As you come over the crest of the hill there’s just this huge ship where there shouldn’t be,” she told the Press Association. “Last night it was horrendously windy and now there’s gravel up by the road so it was a good high tide.”
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