Evergreen Line has reported the brave actions of its officers and crew after they rescued thirty seafarers forced to abandon their burning fishing vessel off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean on July 9, 2017.
The 4,211 TEU containership Ever Diadem joined forces with a bulk carrier to come to the rescue of three seafarers from Taiwan, seven Filipinos, four from Vietnam and sixteen Indonesians.
Evergreen Line stated: “While en route from Singapore to Durban Ever Diadem’s crew found the distressed seafarers drifting in two lifeboats having abandoned flaming HSIANG FUH No. 6, a Taiwan-flagged fishing boat.
“Captain Tai Yen-Tang of Ever Diadem immediately notified MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Center, South Africa) and ordered his crew to stand by for a rescue operation.
“In view of the numbers involved, Captain Tai also requested SBI Antares, a bulk carrier registered in Marshall Islands, and located nearby to join the rescue mission.”
The region off the African coast is notorious for rampant piracy, which “posed a potential yet serious threat to the rescue operation”, stated the ocean shipping company.
“However, with the safety of the fishermen paramount, Ever Diadem’s captain and crew braved the risks and succeeded in rescuing sixteen from one of the lifeboats.
“SBI Antares then followed up by saving those from the other lifeboat.”
Evergreen then notified the owner of the fishing boat, requesting that they take responsibility for their crew in Durban and arrange their repatriation.
Ever Diadem is currently deployed in the carrier’s Far East – Africa Express (FAX) service, calling at Shanghai, Ningbo, Keelung, Singapore and Durban.
