On Friday 15th April, 2022 the 1977 built 59 metre ship XELO issued distress signal reporting water ingress, flooded engine room, after she ran aground at the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia . All 7 crew (2 Azerbaijanis, 4 Turkish and Georgian captain ) were reportedly rescued and hospitalised for checks and currently in a hotel.
On the morning of Saturday 16th April she sank loaded with 750 tons of diesel oil of which the captain stated that he was sheltering due to bad weather in the region.
For MaltaShipNews, the XELO is not a new ship at all. In fact when the whole of Malta Media was focused on the accident of the steamship CHEM P on Saturday 19th March, we were focused on various ships including the XELO of which was calling by her former name LIMAN –
1930 hrs – XELO to VTS – Ship is in Ballast Condition with 8 crew onboard and is having trouble in strong wind/weather conditions.
1957 hrs – VTS to XELO – Anchor is away ? Ahead of you there are the cables and proceed to the East.
2022 hrs – VTS to XELO – Vessel is 2.5 nautical miles from the cable so please heave up anchors immediately.
2023 hrs – XELO to VTS – Heaving Up anchors in 15 minutes, Captain speaking.
2044 hrs – XELO to VTS – Anchor is up and going to OPL Malta.
2141 hrs – VTS to XELO – To proceed 15 miles out and start drifting.
Below image is at 2357 hrs –
On Monday 28th March, 2022 at 1942 hrs she was spotted heading to OPL Malta from offshore Tunisia of which in her references to port of calls nothing is mentioned and that means that she either had a rendezvous (rv) with another vessel or drifting –
On Sunday 10th April her AIS signal was still showing that she was in Tunisia –
She was built as the coaster UNION PEARL trading until 1989; SNIPE until 1992; MULTI CARRIER under 3 different flags of which was seen in Malta too until 2008; LIMAN homeported at Taganrog, Russia until June 2021; MELO until March 2022 with Cameroon flag and finally to her current name as XELO with Equatorial Guinea Flag.
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli otherwise stated. NO PHOTOS can be used or manipulated without our permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Sunday 17th April, 2022
