MV Explorer (1969): Difference between revisions
L.Wadsworth (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Constantine (talk | contribs) While I hate to push my own picture, the fair-use rationale for the listing picture is questionable, and the article is about the ship, not just the sinking. (see the infobox image for Titanic) |
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Revision as of 13:26, 25 November 2007
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (November 2007) |
 The MS Explorer in 2005
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Liberia | |
| Name | list error: <br /> list (help) 1969–1985: MS Lindblad Explorer 1985–1992: MS Society Explorer[1] 1992–2007: MS Explorer |
| Owner | list error: <br /> list (help) 1969-1972: K/S A/S Explorer & Co, Oslo, Norway 1972-1980: AB Svenska Amerika Linjen, Gothenburg, Sweden 1980-1982: Lindblad Swire Cruises, Panama 1982-1983: Salén AB, Stockholm, Sweden 1983-1985: Ferry Services Curacao NV, Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles 1985-1992: Discoverer Reederei GmbH, Germany 1992-2003: Explorer Shipping, Monrovia, Liberia 2003-2004: Kyris Shipping Ltd., Monaco 2004-2007: G.A.P Adventures, Toronto, Canada |
| Builder | Nystads Varv Shipyard (Uudenkaupungin Telakka), Uusikaupunki, Finland |
| Laid down | 1969 |
| Launched | December 14 1969 |
| Out of service | November 23 2007, sank |
| Homeport | list error: <br /> list (help) 1969–1972: Oslo, Norway 1972–1989: Panama City, Panama 1989–2007: Monrovia, Liberia |
| Fate | list error: <br /> list (help) Sank, November 23 2007, at (62°24′S 57°16′W / 62.400°S 57.267°W) |
| Notes | IMO Number 6924959 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 2398 |
| Length | 72.88 m |
| Beam | 14.08 m |
| Draught | 4.48 m |
| Propulsion | 2 x MAK Diesel M452 AK each Template:Auto bhp , driving a single variable-pitch propeller, 4 blades |
| Speed | 12.5 kilotonnes ([convert: unit mismatch]) |
| Capacity | 104 passengers |
| Crew | 54 |
The MS Explorer, formerly MS Lindblad Explorer (–1985) and MS Society Explorer (–1992),[1] was a Liberian-registered cruise ship designed for Arctic and Antarctic service. It was one of the world's most popular and famous exploration cruise vessels, and since 2004 owned by Toronto-based travel company G.A.P Adventures. Nicknamed the Little Red Ship, it was abandoned in the early hours of November 23 2007 after taking on water, reportedly as the result of striking an iceberg, near the South Shetland Islands in the Southern Ocean.
As well as being the first cruise ship ever built specifically to ply the frigid waters of the Antarctic Ocean, the Explorer became the first ever to sink there.[2] The Explorer was reported to be sinking at position: 62 degrees 24 minute South and 57 degrees 16 minutes west, between South Shetlands and Grahams Land, in the Bransfield Strait,[3] where the depth is about 2000 feet.[4] The location is within a territory currently under territorial dispute by the British and Argentine governments who claim it as the British Antarctic Territory and the Argentine Antarctica respectively.
History
Commissioned by Lars-Eric Lindblad, the Swedish-American pioneer of exotic expedition tours, the Explorer was built in 1969 at Nystads Varv shipyard[5] in Uusikaupunki, Finland. The vessel was originally named the Lindblad Explorer in honor of Lars-Eric Lindblad and was the first custom built expeditionary cruise ship, and it navigated the Northwest Passage in 1984. On February 11, 1972, the Lindblad Explorer ran aground near La Plaza Point, Antarctica. It was towed to Buenos Aires, Argentina and then to Kristiansand, Norway for repairs.[6]
The Society Explorer was involved in the rescue of the crew of an Argentinian supply ship that had hit a rock ledge off Anvers Island, Antarctica in 1989.
In 1998 Explorer was the first ship to circumnavigate James Ross Island;[7] and the same year, it is claimed to have been the first ship to sail 80 miles (130 km) above Iquitos, Peru to the point where the Marañón and Ucayali rivers meet to become the Amazon River.[8]. The Explorer was depicted on at least two postage stamps issued by South Georgia. [9]
Deficiencies
An inspection at Puerto Natales, Chile in March 2007 revealed six deficiencies, including two that were related to navigation. An inspection at Greenock in May 2007 revealed five deficiencies including problems with watertight doors, lifeboats not maintained correctly, and search and rescue plans missing.
It was reported that all the deficiencies found were rectified before the ship left port in each case.[7]
Sinking
The ship departed its port in Ushuaia, Argentina on November 11th, 2007, on a 19-day cruise intended to trace the route of a 20th century explorer through the Drake Passage (which is typically stormy with rough waves), when it apparently hit a submerged iceberg in the Bransfield Strait close to King George Island in the Antarctic Ocean, near the South Shetland Islands on November 23, 2007, which was believed to cause a 10 by 4 inch (25 × 10 cm) gash in the hull.[10]
A mayday call was put out by the ship, and rescue operations were quickly coordinated by the Prefectura naval (Coast Guard Corps) of the Argentine Republic, and the Chilean Navy Center for Search and Rescue. Chile dispatched the icebreaker Almirante Viel, and nearby commercial ships including the MN Ushuaia, the National Geographic Endeavor, and the Norwegian Coastal Express ship MS Nordnorge, acting as a cruiseship in the winter season.[11] 91 passengers, 9 guides and 54 crew[12], from over 14 countries[13], were evacuated from the ship and took to the liferafts, where they drifted for three to four hours, until they were picked up by the Norwegian ship MS Nordnorge[14].[7] Coincidentally, earlier in 2007, the M.S. Nordnorge was involved in another Antarctic rescue when it evacuated 294 passengers from a sister ship, the M.S. Nordkapp, when the Nordkapp ran aground on Deception Island, a part of these same remote South Shetland Islands archipelago.
Some of those rescued by the Nordnorge were taken to the Chilean Eduardo Frei Montalva Station on King George Island, from which they were subsequently airlifted by C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Chilean Air Force which departed from Punta Arenas, Chile[7]. Approximately 70 of the survivors were taken to Uruguay's Artigas Base. The Explorer sank within a matter of hours of apparently striking the ice.[15]
Company statements
On the morning of Friday, November 23rd, G.A.P. Adventures issued the following statement:
GAP Adventures, owners of the expedition ship, the M/S Explorer, have confirmed that all 100 passengers and crew who were onboard the M/S Explorer when it hit ice in the Bransfield Strait off King George Island, Antarctica, earlier today are safe and uninjured.
Standard procedures were followed by the crew with passengers calmly evacuated to the ship's life rafts and then transferred to the NordNorge, which was in the area.
The M/S Explorer's crew are also now on the NordNorge.
Onboard the M/S Explorer were two Argentines, 10 Australians, two Belgians, 24 British nationals, 12 Canadians, one Chinese national, three Danes, 17 Dutch, one French, one German, two from Hong Kong, four Irish, one Japanese, four Swiss, 14 Americans, one Colombian and one Swede.
The families of those passengers are now being telephoned by GAP Adventures to advise them of the safety of their loved ones.
Families who have questions about their relatives and friends should contact GAP Adventures on +1 800 465 5600 ext 101.
At 10:00 EST, Saturday, November 24th, 2007, G.A.P. Adventures issued the following updated statement:
All passengers and crew, including the captain of M/S Explorer, are completely safe, uninjured and in good spirits. The passengers spent the night at King George Island in Antarctica. There are plans for passengers to board flights today and tomorrow to Punta Arenas, Chile. Accommodations have been arranged in Punta Arenas and flights home from there are currently being scheduled.
The passengers include 2 Argentines, 10 Australians, 2 Belgians, 24 British nationals, 12 Canadians, 1 Chinese national, 3 Danes, 17 Dutch, 1 French, 1 German, 2 from Hong Kong, 4 Irish, 1 Japanese, 4 Swiss, 14 Americans, 1 Colombian and 1 Swede. The captain of the ship is Swedish and the majority of the crew are understood to be from the Philippines. The crew onboard M/S Explorer consist of 45 Filipinos, 4 Swedes, 2 Bulgarians, 2 New Zealanders, and 1 Pole.
We can now confirm that at 19:00 GMT, Friday, 23 November, M/S Explorer sank.
Further updates will be posted as they become available.
References
- ^ a b Possibly also named MS World Explorer after 1985
- ^ "Cruise Ship Sinks Off Antarctica". The Washington Post. November 24, 2007.
- ^ "MS Explorer — situation report". The Falkland Islands News. November 23, 2007.
- ^ MV EXPLORER Cruise Ship Sinking In South Atlantic, The Shipping Times, November 23, 2007.
- ^ Finnish: Uudenkaupungin telakka
- ^ Erik Langeland
- ^ a b c d "Cruise boat sinking off Argentina". BBC News. 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ M/S Explorer
- ^ Philatelie Polaire
- ^ "154 Rescued From Sinking Ship In Antarctic: Passengers, Crew Boarding Another Ship After Wait In Lifeboats; No Injuries Reported". CBS News. November 23 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Armada apoya labores de rescate de buque de pasajeros Explorer" (in SP). Chilean Navy. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ The crew of 54 was made up largely of Filipinos, 45 of whom were aboard.
- ^ G.A.P. Adventures listed: 24 Britons, 17 Dutch, 14 Americans, 12 Canadians and 10 Australians, 4 Swedes, 2 New Zealanders, 2 Bulgarians, and 1 Pole, as well as people from several other countries among the passengers.
- ^ "Passengers are being rescued from the M/S Explorer". Dagbladet. 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Passengers unhurt after Antarctic ship hits ice". Reuters UK. November 24 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
- MS Explorer - G.A.P Adventures
- M/S Explorer - Eagle Eye Tours
- BT.no webcam of bad list, title reads Here Explorer sinks -earlier stillphotos from Nordnorge
- MS Explorer anchored off Elephant Island, Antarctica picture at Flickr.com
- M.S Explorer Slideshow At Yahoo News - Yahoo News Slideshow
- Eye witness account of the rescue - Audrey's Blog
Additional Images
