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| Drifting ship avoids hitting rigs | Drifting ship avoids hitting rigs |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two major collisions between a drifting 4,500-tonne cargo ship with engine failure and North Sea gas platforms have been narrowly averted. | |
| The Vindo avoided the second rig by 700 yds (630m), the coastguard said. | The Vindo avoided the second rig by 700 yds (630m), the coastguard said. |
| It was put on the collision course with the unmanned Caister platform - off the Lincolnshire coast - after its engines failed for a second time. | It was put on the collision course with the unmanned Caister platform - off the Lincolnshire coast - after its engines failed for a second time. |
| Earlier the vessel avoided hitting the manned Murdoch rig after its engines were briefly repaired. | Earlier the vessel avoided hitting the manned Murdoch rig after its engines were briefly repaired. |
| Carrying 4,200 tonnes of fertiliser, the Vindo originally broke down in bad weather, nine miles (14km) from the Murdoch platform. | Carrying 4,200 tonnes of fertiliser, the Vindo originally broke down in bad weather, nine miles (14km) from the Murdoch platform. |
| Two RAF helicopters had been scrambled to the rig - about 75 miles east of Theddlethorpe St Helen - to airlift 30 crew members to other rigs for safety. | Two RAF helicopters had been scrambled to the rig - about 75 miles east of Theddlethorpe St Helen - to airlift 30 crew members to other rigs for safety. |
| Situation 'calmed' | Situation 'calmed' |
| The ship, registered in Antigua and Barbuda, is still drifting without engines, but is expected to be met by a salvage tug at about 0900 GMT on Friday, which will tow it to dock in the Humber estuary. | The ship, registered in Antigua and Barbuda, is still drifting without engines, but is expected to be met by a salvage tug at about 0900 GMT on Friday, which will tow it to dock in the Humber estuary. |
| A coastguard spokesman confirmed there were no further platforms in the path of the Vindo, but another tug remained on standby in the area. | A coastguard spokesman confirmed there were no further platforms in the path of the Vindo, but another tug remained on standby in the area. |
| "The situation has calmed down a little bit," he said. | "The situation has calmed down a little bit," he said. |
| However, weather conditions in the North Sea remain poor and winds around the Vindo have been measured at Force 10. | However, weather conditions in the North Sea remain poor and winds around the Vindo have been measured at Force 10. |
| In September last year the 90m-long Vindo crashed into another large cargo vessel, Dealer, after failing to respond to radio messages. | In September last year the 90m-long Vindo crashed into another large cargo vessel, Dealer, after failing to respond to radio messages. |
| Nobody was injured in the incident, which took place 17 miles off the coast of North Foreland, Kent. | Nobody was injured in the incident, which took place 17 miles off the coast of North Foreland, Kent. |
| Dover Coastguard said no pollution had occurred but both vessels had sustained some damage in the collision. | Dover Coastguard said no pollution had occurred but both vessels had sustained some damage in the collision. |