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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Rescuers arrive at drifting ship | Rescuers arrive at drifting ship |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A rescue operation is under way after a drifting cargo ship narrowly avoided colliding with two North Sea gas platforms in a force 10 storm. | A rescue operation is under way after a drifting cargo ship narrowly avoided colliding with two North Sea gas platforms in a force 10 storm. |
| A rescue tug reached the 4,500-tonne Vindo at about 0900 GMT. The ship, which has a core crew on board, is being towed to the Humber. | A rescue tug reached the 4,500-tonne Vindo at about 0900 GMT. The ship, which has a core crew on board, is being towed to the Humber. |
| Weather conditions in the North Sea remain poor with high winds. | Weather conditions in the North Sea remain poor with high winds. |
| The Vindo suffered engine failure 75 miles off the Lincolnshire coast on Thursday afternoon, said coastguards. | The Vindo suffered engine failure 75 miles off the Lincolnshire coast on Thursday afternoon, said coastguards. |
| The Vindo first began to drift towards the Murdoch gas platform - east of Theddlethorpe St Helen - forcing the RAF to winch its workforce to safety. | The Vindo first began to drift towards the Murdoch gas platform - east of Theddlethorpe St Helen - forcing the RAF to winch its workforce to safety. |
| The ship's crew dropped anchor in an attempt to slow the drift, but they were forced to raise it to avoid hitting gas pipelines in the area. | The ship's crew dropped anchor in an attempt to slow the drift, but they were forced to raise it to avoid hitting gas pipelines in the area. |
| The nine-man crew then managed to restart the engines giving them sufficient power to avert the threat of a collision. | The nine-man crew then managed to restart the engines giving them sufficient power to avert the threat of a collision. |
| But the vessel again lost power and began drifting towards the Caister platform, which is unmanned. | But the vessel again lost power and began drifting towards the Caister platform, which is unmanned. |
| A Coastguard spokesman said the ship cleared the second platform by 700 yards (about 650m) and it has "been very lucky that it has missed two platforms". | A Coastguard spokesman said the ship cleared the second platform by 700 yards (about 650m) and it has "been very lucky that it has missed two platforms". |
| In September last year the Vindo crashed into another large cargo vessel, Dealer, after failing to respond to radio messages. | In September last year the 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. |