All news
20 Feb, 17:32

Pavel Grabovski vessel is afloat, not sending a distress signal — regulator

As Rosmorrechflot specified, there are no casualties, no oil spills, and no pollution of the surrounding waters

MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. The vessel Pavel Grabovski on the starboard of which a crack was found is afloat and is not sending a distress signal, the press service of the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport of Russia (Rosmorrechflot) told TASS.

"On February 16 at 05:00 p.m. (Moscow time, 02:00 p.m. GMT), the Taman marine rescue sub-center Taman received a report from the "Pavel Grabovski ship. A crack in the starboard side was discovered, water is entering the ballast tank. The vessel is afloat, is not sending a distress signal. The captain and the ship owner refuse assistance," the report says.

As the regulator specified, there are no casualties, no oil spills, and no pollution of the surrounding waters.

"The vessel, loaded with 2.939 tons of corn, was en route from the port of Rostov to Turkey. There are 45 tons of diesel fuel on board," Rosmorrechflot added.

Accompanied by Rosmorport icebreakers, the vessel was delivered to the anchorage, the icebreakers are monitoring the vessel's draft. Delivery of supplies and additional equipment for pumping out water is expected.

"The crew is currently sealing the crack on their own. The leak is being eliminated, and water is being pumped out of the damaged ballast tank," the regulator reported.

Earlier today, the Rostov Region Ministry of Transport told TASS that a leak was discovered on the Pavel Grabovski vessel in the port of Azov on February 16. According to the ministry, the vessel was stopped and the leak was eliminated. Currently, it is aground due to the current weather conditions, as soon as the weather permits and the water comes, it will be taken out to the roadstead of the shipping lane, and then the owner will carry out repairs. According to the Vessel Finder service, the vessel, built in 1979, sails under the flag of Panama. Its length is 114 meters, the width is 13 meters. The vessel was supposed to arrive in Samsun (Turkey) on February 17.