April 2006 Archived News Page
4/30/06
FAA DISASTER DRILL AT TOLEDO EXPRESS AIRPORT
WHO: Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority/Toledo Express Airport
Police and Fire Division
WHAT: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) A Disaster Drill
WHEN: Monday, May 1, 2006 at 6:30 p.m.*
WHERE: Toledo Express Airport 11013 Airport Highway Swanton, OH 43558 (Port Authority maintenance building)
WHY: Every three years the Federal Aviation Administration requires airports to perform a disaster drill exercise. The drill is conducted to serve as a training evaluation technique to assist all responding agencies, in being prepared in an emergency situation. *Please note – Media covering the drill will need to report to the maintenance building by 5:30 p.m. The drill will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. The maintenance building is accessed from Airport Highway via a driveway located east of the terminal entrance, near the turnpike overpass. Media credentials are required for access. For more information contact: Brian Schwartz, Director of Public Affairs, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, cell (419) 260-9979.
IMO Briefing no 13: Legal Committee adopts guidelines on fair treatment of seafarers adopted
Briefing 13/2006
28 April 2006
Legal Committee (LEG) * 91st session: 24-28 April 2006
Guidelines on fair treatment of seafarers adopted by IMO Legal Committee
Guidelines on fair treatment of seafarers in the event of a maritime accident
have been adopted by the IMO's Legal Committee, which met for its 91st session
from 24 to 28 April 2006.
The guidelines, developed by a Joint IMO/ILO Ad Hoc Expert Working Group on the
Fair Treatment of Seafarers in the Event of a Maritime Accident, will also be
submitted to the ILO Governing Body, which meets in June, for adoption.
The guidelines recommended that they be observed in all instances where
seafarers may be detained by public authorities in the event of a maritime
accident.
Seafarers are recognized as a special category of worker, the guidelines state.
Given the global nature of the shipping industry and the different jurisdictions
with which they may be brought into contact, they need special protection,
especially in relation to contact with public authorities. The objective of the
guidelines is to ensure that seafarers are treated fairly following a maritime
accident and during any investigation and detention by public authorities and
that detention is for no longer than necessary.
The Guidelines give advice on steps to be taken by all those who may be involved
following an incident: the port or coastal State, flag State, the seafarer's
State, the shipowner and seafarers themselves. The emphasis is on co-operation
and communication between those involved and in ensuring that no discriminatory
or retaliatory measures are taken against seafarers because of their
participation in investigations. The guidelines say that all necessary measures
should be taken to ensure the fair treatment of seafarers.
The Joint IMO/ILO Ad Hoc Expert Working Group on the Fair Treatment of Seafarers
in the Event of a Maritime Accident was established in 2005 to work on the
development of appropriate guidelines for endorsement by IMO and ILO. A
resolution prepared by the Group and subsequently adopted jointly by the IMO
Assembly and the ILO Governing Body last December (A.987(24)) states that both
ILO and IMO are seriously concerned about the need to ensure the fair treatment
of seafarers in view of the growing use of criminal proceedings against
seafarers after a maritime accident. The resolution recognises the urgency of
adopting Guidelines as a matter of priority and, to this end, requested the
Group to finalise its work expeditiously. The Group completed this task in March
2006.
Speaking at the close of the Legal Committee meeting, IMO Secretary-General
Efthimios E. Mitropoulos told delegates: "The adoption of guidelines on fair
treatment of seafarers has marked a highlight of this session. By doing so, you
were able, in a genuine demonstration of the IMO spirit of co-operation and
compromise, to take the collective decision that it was vital to promulgate
these guidelines by consensus and as soon as possible and so to send a clear
signal to seafarers around the world that it is the wish of the IMO family that
they should be treated fairly. I am sure it will be appreciated by the maritime
community at large and the seafarers in particular."
Member Governments are invited, in the resolution, to implement the Guidelines
as from 1 July 2006
Wreck removal convention
In other work, the Legal Committee moved a step closer towards completion of the
draft text of the new convention on the removal of wrecks.
Once adopted and in force, the new convention will provide the legal basis for
States to remove, or have removed, from their EEZs, wrecks that may pose a
hazard to navigation or, because of the nature of their cargo, to the marine and
coastal environments, or to both. The new convention will also safeguard the
rights and specify the duties of owners of wrecked ships to remove them by their
own means, or with the assistance of salvors.
It is intended to hold a diplomatic conference to adopt the new convention in
2007.
Athens Protocol
Further to the request of the Assembly in resolution A.988(24), the Committee
discussed two outstanding key issues relating to the 2002 Athens Protocol aimed
at facilitating its entry into force. These concern the ability of the insurance
market to provide compulsory cover up to the general limits established under
the Convention and, more particularly, its ability to provide insurance cover
for death, injury and damage to passengers on sea voyages arising out of acts of
terrorism. Such cover is required under the Protocol.
HNS Convention
The Committee agreed on an interpretation of article 1.5(a)(ii) of the 1996
International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in connection
with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea (the HNS
Convention). The article refers to "noxious liquid substances carried in bulk
referred to in Appendix II of Annex II to MARPOL 73/78, as amended", and the
interpretation makes it clear that if, as expected, the revised Annex II to
MARPOL 73/78 enters into force on 1 January 2007, the reference to "noxious
liquid substances carried in bulk" in article 1.5(a)(ii) of the HNS Convention
will, as from that date, refer to noxious liquid substances as defined in
regulation 1.10 of the revised Annex II of MARPOL 73/78, which are carried in
bulk.
The HNS Convention currently has eight Contracting States (Angola, Cyprus,
Morocco, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, Slovenia and Tonga).
Entry into force will be 18 months after 12 States have accepted the Convention,
four of which have not less than two million units of gross tonnage, provided
that persons in these States who would be responsible to pay contributions to
the general account have received a total quantity of at least 40 million tonnes
of contributing cargo in the preceding calendar year.
IMO - the International Maritime Organization - is the United Nations
specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping
and the prevention of marine pollution by ships. Reported by the IMO
4/29/06
GOOD SAM RESCUE TOLEDO, Ohio -- A good samaritan rescued six people on board a pleasure vessel one mile off the Maumee River Saturday around 11 a.m. Their 21-foot boat sank, and a good sam in the area recovered all of them safely. Station Toledo launched their 25-foot SAFE boat to rendezvous with the good sam to assist in transporting some back to shore. All nine were wearing life jackets. U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District
Volunteers work to restore 1896 ship
SS METEOR:The world's last existing whaleback is getting some much-needed attention.
BY SHELLEY NELSON
NEWS TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Metal clanged against metal as Benjamin Nobel kneeled over a hatch in the engine room of the SS Meteor on Saturday. Using a combination of the ship's historic tools and a contemporary hammer and pliers, Nobel set out to open a ballast hatch on the old whaleback ship that hadn't been opened in decades. A rush of air would indicate water leaking into the tanks, said Joe Lombardi, a marine engineer from Massachusetts commissioned to perform a structural analysis of the ship. The one-of-a-kind ship berthed at Superior's Barker's Island was getting needed attention Saturday with the help of volunteers from the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society. Nobel and Karsten Nelson of the Twin Cities area were just two of 15 volunteers lending a hand to spruce up the ship before it reopens next month for the tourist season. For the past three years, the groups have helped out by cleaning, scraping and painting to improve the appearance of the ship. Some of the volunteers ended up pitching in with a longer-term plan to restore the 1896 whaleback, the last of its kind. "I came up with a few extra goodies for them to do," Lombardi said. His analysis of the ship's structure will be included in a report that could help earn it recognition as a national historic place, guide the ship's restoration and garner grants for the work. There are five parts to the report, which also will include the ship's history, machine arrangement, construction and reconfiguration drawings, and conclusions on how to restore the ship, said Susan Anderson, director of the Superior Public Museums. Anderson said the report will take about a year to complete. "We're just trying to see what is there," Lombardi said as volunteers worked to raise the hatch. When the hatch broke loose, there was no rush of air, indicating the ballast tanks didn't have significant leaks. "There are some areas of the ship I won't be able to see," Lombardi said. "On the exterior, the 10-foot draft and below is buried in sand, so I can't see the outside shell. Tanks 1-7 were filled with sand and a concrete cap, so I can't see the bottom of the tanks. I can surmise what's going on based on a few telltale indicators. I would say generally she's in good shape." In spite of that, Lombardi said, the Meteor is in need of help. "It's going to take a big effort," Lombardi said. "Even if she stays exactly where she is buried in the sand, she needs help. She needs ongoing maintenance as any steel vessel would need.... She needs a commitment, funding, marketing, awareness." Bracing against brisk winds, volunteers started digging into the soil surrounding the last of the ships designed by Capt. Alexander McDougal -- and built in the Twin Ports -- to expose sections of the hull. Lombardi could then use ultrasound to check the thickness of the metal. "I think this ship is a treasure, and I think it's kind of an unappreciated one," said Randy Beebe of Duluth, a member of the Duluth Chapter of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society. "I didn't realize the hull came out like that," said Russel Leitz of Waupaca, Wis., president of the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association. Leitz shoveled a section near the stern. Paul Kerber of the Twin Cities area, first vice president of the shipwreck preservation society, said his interest in ships developed when he was young. "This (the SS Meteor) was one of the very first ships I was ever able to go on," Kerber said. "The first time I was on it, I was in awe about what is actually going on inside a ship. Everything is about 30 times bigger than anything I've seen in my life."
US repatriates 10 of 12 Somali
pirates involved in attack on ships
MANAMA - The US government is to repatriate 10 of 12 Somalis who fired at
two US Navy vessels in March, the US Navy 5th Fleet command said on Saturday in
Bahrain. The US government worked with the
International Committee of the Red Cross to arrange for the April 29
repatriation, the statement said. The two remaining Somalis are receiving
follow-on medical care aboard USS Peleliu for injuries sustained during the
incident. According to the US Navy version of the incident at about 5:40 a.m.
on March 18, the Somalis aroused suspicion similar to previous pirate activity
in the area, when boarding teams were ordered to investigate. As the boarding
teams approached a small Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats, the Somalis opened
fire. Cape St. George, a guided missile cruiser, and Gonzalez, a guided missile
destroyer, were conducting maritime security operations in the area as part of
Combined Task Force 150 when they spotted a suspect vessel towing two smaller
skiffs heading west toward the coast. As the Gonzalez boarding teams prepared
to board the vessels, the two Norfolk, Va.-based Navy ships noticed the group of
suspected pirates were apparently brandishing rocket-propelled grenade (RPG)
launchers, the statement said. The suspects opened fire on the boarding teams
prompting a response from US forces. One Somali was killed and a fire broke out
aboard the main vessel, which was destroyed. Navy Boarding teams from Cape St.
George and Gonzalez detained the 12 Somalis involved and confiscated an RPG
launcher, automatic weapons and the two remaining skiffs, the statement said.
U.S. Sailors were not injured. US and Denmark provided the 12 with medical
care. The 12 were then screened for possible criminal activity and terrorists
links, the statement said. The U.S. government later decided repatriation would
be the most effective and appropriate course of action. Khaleej Times
Another ship reported hijacked off
Somalia
NAIROBI — Somali pirates have hijacked a ship with some Indonesian crew and have
taken the vessel into the lawless country’s territorial waters to avoid
intervention by US Navy ships in the region, a maritime official said yesterday.
There was no immediate information on the vessel’s name, type or the number and
nationalities of all crew members on board, said Andrew Mwangura, head of the
Kenyan chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Programme. “The
ship raised an alert that they were in danger of being captured. This alerted
all nearby vessels,” Mwangura said. “Satellite tracking shows that it is in
southern Somalia.” It was not immediately clear when the ship was captured, but
the alert was raised before yesterday. Several pirate groups operate along
Somalia’s 3,000km coastline, Africa’s longest. The Horn of Africa nation has
had no effective government since opposition leaders ousted a dictatorship in
1991 and then turned on each other, carving the nation of an estimated 8.2
million people into a patchwork of warlord fiefdoms. Piracy rose sharply last
year, with the number of incidents rising to 41 since March 15, 2005. Only two
incidents were reported in 2004, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
The bandits target both passenger and cargo vessels for ransom or loot. The
increase in piracy included first-time attacks on vessels carrying food aid for
Somalis, hindering UN efforts to provide relief to drought victims. Pirates also
have attacked a cruise ship. On March 15, the UN Security Council encouraged
naval forces operating off Somalia to take action against suspected piracy. In
the past two months, US Navy ships have confronted two groups of pirates,
killing one person and injuring five others. One group of pirates the US navy
confronted is now facing trial in neighbouring Kenya. A UAE-registered oil
tanker, a Georgia-registered cargo ship and a Korean fishing vessel are
currently being held by pirates in Somalia’s central region. Their captive crew
include Philippine, Korean, Chinese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Indian, Sri Lankan
and Tanzanian nationals, Mwangura said.
Pirates recently killed a Somali who was negotiating
with them for the release of the oil tanker, stalling mediation efforts.
Khaleej Times
4/25/06
District Commander to speak to Chamber of Commerce CLEVELAND -- The new commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District will speak to the Northern Ohio Area Chamber of Commerce Thursday at Burke Lakefront Airport at 4:30 p.m. Rear Adm. John E. Crowley, Jr. will talk to a group of about 120 local Chambers of Commerce about Homeland Security topics on the Great Lakes. The last speaker to attend was Gov. Bob Taft of Ohio, who spoke to a crowd of about 250. Reported by USCG 9th District
Panama has announced an ambitious $5.3bn (£2.9bn) plan to widen its famous canal to handle a new generation of giant container ships. President Martin Torrijos described the project as a "formidable challenge" but necessary if the canal is to retain its place as a key route for global cargo. The plan is due to be put to a national referendum later this year. Polls suggest the majority of voters back the project, which is set to create several thousands jobs. In a televised speech, Mr Torrijos said the plan was, "the most important decision about the canal and its role in the 21st century". The 80km (50-mile) canal links the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and plays a vital role in global trade. Around 40 ships a day pass through its system of locks and lakes.
Sensitive issue But, partly because of surging exports from China, the canal's capacity is now stretched. It also faces the prospect of missing out on business from a new generation of super-ships, which can carry up to twice as much cargo as normal vessels The Panama government fears its income from tolls will fall if ship-owners switch to alternative routes, BBC Americas editor Simon Watts says. That is why they are proposing a new set of giant locks, measuring more than 50m wide, to create a third lane of traffic that is capable of handling wider loads. "The Panama Canal route is facing competition," Mr Torrijos said. "If we do not meet the challenge to continue to give a competitive service, other routes will emerge that will replace ours. "It would be unforgivable to refuse to improve the capacity of the waterway." The canal is a sensitive issue in Panama so Mr Torrijos has tried to take party politics out of his proposal, our correspondent says. He has consulted widely, and the plan needs to be passed by parliament as well as through a referendum. But Panamanians will want to know exactly how the plan will be financed, and Mr Torrijos will also need to address a widespread feeling that ordinary people have not seen any benefit from canal revenue, our correspondent adds. The canal was opened in 1914 and run by the US until it was handed to the Panama government in 1999. Reported by BBC
Bourbon orders $808M worth of new ships.
France's Bourbon ship company has ordered 56 offshore service vessels worth a
total of $808 million.
The orders come in addition to a contract for 27 supply vessels that Bourbon
placed late last year, Marinelog.com reported Tuesday. All the vessels concerned
will be used to support oil and gas exploration and production. A Bourbon
executive said the cluster of new orders stems from the company's recent opening
of subsidiaries in Mexico, Qatar, Egypt and various Asian locations.
Bourbon ordered the vessels from shipmakers in China, the Netherlands and India.
4/18/06
MACKINAW Farewell Visit to Detroit, MI - CHEBOYGAN, Mich. - The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter MACKINAW is visiting Detroit, MI for the last time before she is decommissioned on June 9, 2006. Over her 62 year career, MACKINAW has had the pleasure of maintaining the flow of commerce through the Great Lakes and connecting rivers.
CGC MACKINAW (WAGB-83) during her final trip to Detroit, MI will be mooring at the Hart Plaza and will open for tours on Thursday April 20th from 1-5pm.
For more information contact ENS Elizabeth Newton at enewton@cgcmackinaw.uscg.mil or (231-420-9562).
4/17/06
Undredged channels limit
shipping on Great
Lakes
CLEVELAND -- Shippers on the Great Lakes are decreasing their loads or taking
detours because channel waters haven't been dredged.
From delivering salt up Michigan's Saginaw River to hauling iron ore to steel
mills in Cleveland and East Chicago, Ind., the carriers say the lack of removing
mud and sediment is limiting the strength of heavy industry on the lakes.
Shippers say the situation is getting worse as lake water levels decline and
federal budget constraints are felt at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which
is responsible for dredging the nation's ports and waterways.
When a tug pushing a barge lost its rudders recently in the Saginaw River, it
was another troubling sign for Jim Weakley and other shipping officials worried
about inadequate dredging on the Great Lakes. The rudders snapped off in the
river's turning basin - an area that has not been dredged since the mid-1990s.
The river is so shallow that the cement carrier Alpena recently struggled
against strong currents as it rode high in the water, trying to avoid hitting
bottom, said Weakley, who heads the Lake Carriers Association, a shipowners
group in Cleveland.
Some shipping firms say they no longer will send boats up the Saginaw because of
the increased silting.
The shipping channel at the port of Green Bay, Wis., has narrowed in recent
years to a third of its designated width, threatening the shipping of
construction materials, coal, wood pulp and salt, while boats have been turned
away at St. Joseph, Mich., because of the lower draft.
Because vessels have to carry lighter loads per trip, Weakley said, the industry
estimates that 75 percent of the cargoes carried in U.S. lakers in the past five
years were less than full loads.
Last year, the 1,000-foot long boats that loaded coal at Midwest Energy
Resources Co.'s coal docks at Superior, Wis., could have loaded nearly 1.5
million more tons if the St. Mary's River _ the channel connecting Lake Superior
with the lower lakes _ were dredged to its authorized depth, said Fred
Shusterich, president of Midwest.
"We've been light loading for some years," said Dave Allen, a spokesman for
Mittal Steel USA, which has steelmaking operations on the Indiana Harbor Canal
in East Chicago.
"When you have reduced efficiency in a transportation system, it affects
everything _ coal-burning power plants, the steel and construction industries _
everyone is going to pay a higher price," Weakley said.
Weakley's group is launching an effort to draw attention to the problem
beginning with a breakfast meeting May 3 in Washington, hosted by the Great
Lakes Maritime Task Force, a coalition that promotes lakes shipping. Weakley's
group said it would cost nearly $200 million to restore deep-draft ports and
waterways to their designed depth.
Officials with the Army Corps of Engineers acknowledge the risks posed by
silting in channels, but they say there's no easy solution. Bill Harder, a corps
official in Cincinnati, said the corps' budget has not kept pace with inflation
for many years.
"It's a constrained funding environment, and we're making very tough decisions,"
said Harder, who is navigation business manager for the corps' Great Lakes and
Ohio River system division.
He said the corps is not mandated to keep channels at their authorized depths.
Corps officials said the corps' annual budget has not been affected much by the
rebuilding efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina or the war in Iraq because
those events are funded mainly by supplemental appropriations.
4/15/06
St. Clair River Traffic - Port Huron, MI/Sarnia, Ont. Vessel traffic on the St. Clair River was extremely low throughout most the day on Saturday. Still in lay up at the Government dock in Sarnia was the CALUMET. The tug and barge combo WILLIAM J. MOORE and McCLEARYS SPIRIT were tied up at Sarnia's Smith dock. The USCG Cutter HOLLYCOCK was docked at her terminal in Port Huron. Early morning downbound traffic included the ALGOWAY and PETER CRESSWELL. It wasn't until the very late afternoon / early evening did any traffic begin to show up at the upper St. Clair River. Heading upbound was the ALGOMARINE, then closely followed by the FRED R. WHITE Jr. An hour later saw the ARMCO heading upbound. The EPA'S 180 ft. LAKE GUARDIAN headed upbound shortly after the Armco. An hour later came the MIDDLETOWN, also heading up just before nightfall.
CALUMET WILLIAM J. MOORE / McCLEARYS SPIRIT ALGOMARINE
FRED R. WHITE Jr. ARMCO LAKE GUARDIAN MIDDLETOWN
4/14/06
Japanese, Philippine ships collide off Tokyo Bay - TOKYO A Japanese freighter and a Philippine container ship collided off Tokyo Bay on Thursday, causing the container ship to sink and forcing the evacuation of its crew, the Japan Coast Guard said. Visibility of less than 200 metres in thick fog appeared to be the cause of the crash, local media reported, quoting the coast guard. No casualties were reported, but the 25 Filipinos aboard the 6,182-ton Eastern Challenger were forced to abandon ship by lifeboat as their vessel went down. The 498-ton Japanese ship was able to harbour at the port, and its five crewmembers were safe. The Eastern Challenger was carrying steel and used cars from the Philippines, and the Tsugaru Maru was transporting animal feed to the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The Filipino vessel suffered damage to the port side of its bow in the collision, but no major crude oil leak was detected in the ocean. Authorities are investigating the accident. The areas where the two freighters collided have about 500 vessels traveling through every day.
Eastern Challenger Sinks. Khaleej Times
4/13/06
MACKINAW Farewell Visit to Cleveland, OH - CHEBOYGAN, Mich. - The U.S. Coast Guard's largest domestic icebreaker, the CGC MACKINAW (WAGB-83), is returning to Cleveland for a farewell visit. For over 62 years, MACKINAW served the Great Lakes shipping industry, moving commerce vital to the region and the nation. From December through April, MACKINAW broke ice to maintain the flow of commerce through the Great Lakes and connecting rivers. MACKINAW's other missions include search and rescue, aids to navigation, and public relations. MACKINAW recently concluded her final ice season and will be decommissioned in June 2006.
Come visit the CGC MACKINAW (WAGB-83) during her final trip to Cleveland, OH. The ship will be docked at the Dock 32 Cleveland Port Authority and will open for tours on Monday April 17th from 1-5pm.
For more information contact ENS Elizabeth Newton at enewton@cgcmackinaw.uscg.mil or (231-420-9562).
Reported by USCG 9th District
4/12/06
"Ghost Ship" to be sunk - Salvage crews from the Australian-based Cairns Company have begun preparations for the sinking of a 250 foot “ghost ship”. The vessel was found adrift in the Gulf of Carpentaria last month. A representative from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority say they have not been able to establish where the vessel came from or why it was abandoned.
Salvage crews from a Cairns owned company are in the process of cleaning the vessel of any dangerous, loose or toxic debris that might break free from the vessel once it is scuttled. The “ghost ship” will be sunk in the Coral Sea off the north coast of Queensland later this month.
4/11/06
Port
Authority Announces Second Round of
Neighborhood Economic Development Funds
Toledo, Ohio — The Toledo-Lucas County
Port Authority will make available $350,000 to economic development agencies and
community development organizations in Lucas County for the specific purpose of
neighborhood economic development according to James H. Hartung, President of
the Port Authority.
The funds will come from the Port Authority’s levy passed by Lucas County voters
in November 2004. As part of that campaign, the agency promised to support
neighborhood economic development as part of its economic development mission.
This is the second year for the program which awarded $338,000 to 7 agencies in
2005.
To be eligible to receive funding, applicants must be a 501(c) 3 organization in
good standing and must demonstrate the capacity to engage in economic
development at the neighborhood level. Priority will be given to projects in
areas of economic distress such as Community Reinvestment Areas and areas
eligible for HUD Slum & Blight designation, Hartung added.
The funds will be used for “bricks and mortar” economic development Hartung
pointed out.
“These funds will not be used to cover administrative costs,” said Hartung. “The
Port Authority is proud that it can point to tangible, capital projects and show
taxpayers where they invested their money. That won’t change under this
program.”
The deadline for the second round of funds is May 11, 2006. To obtain more
information and a PDF version of the application, log onto our website and click
on the hot link provided, or contact the Port Authority at (419) 243-8251 or the
LISC offices at 419-242-3836.
www.toledoportauthority.org
COAST GUARD RESCUES TWO FROM SINKING BOAT - TOLEDO U.S. Coast Guard Station Toledo rescued two middle aged men in Maumee bay, Ohio at 2:43 P.M. today. U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit Command Center received notification from a man reporting that his vessel was taking on water in Maumee Bay North East of Toledo, Ohio and needed assistance. Communications were difficult due to the vessel sinking and the men being extremely cold. A 23 foot small boat from Station Toledo was already underway and was able to quickly divert to the sinking vessel. A HH-65 Dolphin Helicopter from Air Station Detroit was also launched to assist. After fifteen minutes of searching the vessel was spotted almost fully submerged. Two persons were rescued and pulled to safety. The rescued men were in good condition and were taken to Collin's Park in Toledo, OH where the owner's vehicle and trailer were located. Coast Guard Sector Detroit directly oversees all Coast Guard missions on South Lake Huron, Lake St Clair and Western Lake Erie from Alpena, Michigan to Marblehead, Ohio.
Reported by USCG 9th Dist.
4/10/06
Motorboat sinks - 110 feared dead. Accra, Ghana. An overloaded boat transiting Lake Volta sank on Saturday with approximately 150 persons on board. Only 40 passengers were rescued, leaving 110 feared drowned. Passengers were being ferried across the lake to the mainland after their island homes were designated as a natural reserve. Lake Volta is located in West Africa and is the worlds largest Lake.
Cruise boat Sinks - 48 lost. Bahrain. A cruise boat carrying up to 150 people capsized Thursday night in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Bahrain. At least 48 bodies were recovered. American divers and a U.S. helicopter aided the rescue effort.
