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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Crew rescued from stricken tug off Devon coast | Crew rescued from stricken tug off Devon coast |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Eight crew members have been rescued from a tug off the Devon coast after it was holed by the ship it was towing. | Eight crew members have been rescued from a tug off the Devon coast after it was holed by the ship it was towing. |
| The Christos XXII, which contains about 200 tonnes of diesel, was holed off Hope's Nose, off Torbay. | |
| Two lifeboats, the Exmouth and Torbay, and two naval ships, including HMS Lancaster, were sent to the scene. | Two lifeboats, the Exmouth and Torbay, and two naval ships, including HMS Lancaster, were sent to the scene. |
| The crew were taken off by lifeboat. An inflatable pollution control boom will be used in the hope of containing the diesel spillage. | |
| Wooden pegs | Wooden pegs |
| The incident started at about 21:30 GMT on Sunday when the 70-metre tug, which was towing an empty hull from Germany to Turkey, slowed to check a problem with the tow and was struck on the port side. | |
| A gash nearly 40cm long was opened up and the ship began to take on water. | A gash nearly 40cm long was opened up and the ship began to take on water. |
| Crew members tried to plug the tear with wooden pegs and pump the water out. | Crew members tried to plug the tear with wooden pegs and pump the water out. |
| The Christos sent a mayday call which was picked up by Brixham coastguards who have been co-ordinating the rescue. | The Christos sent a mayday call which was picked up by Brixham coastguards who have been co-ordinating the rescue. |
| The two lifeboats have been at the scene with HMS Lancaster and the navy vessel HMS Severn. A second tug, the MTS Vulcan, was also standing by. | The two lifeboats have been at the scene with HMS Lancaster and the navy vessel HMS Severn. A second tug, the MTS Vulcan, was also standing by. |
| A third tug, the Brent, was sent to the scene in an attempt to see if the Christos could be towed to safety. | A third tug, the Brent, was sent to the scene in an attempt to see if the Christos could be towed to safety. |
| A helicopter from RMB Chivenor was used to bring salvage pumps to the scene. | |
| Speaking just before 02:00 GMT, a Brixham coastguard spokesman said the operation was continuing and lines had been attached to the Christos and the 80 metre-long hull it had been towing. | |
| "The problem is this is happening quite close to shore and if this boat sinks there could be a big pollution problem," he said. | |
| The diesel would contaminate beaches and "impact on local birds and wildlife", the spokesman added. |