Last Saturday 5th August the 1976 built tugboat FAHD, sank after colliding with a 230 metre LPG carrier in the Suez Canal. One of the tug’s crewmembers was trapped in a cabin within the vessel and killed with the other six were rescued, according to the Suez Canal Authority.
The tug collided with the LPG carrier CHINAGAS LEGEND near the north end of the al-Balah Bypass, according to SCA Chairman Osama Rabie. The tug’s hull was breached and she sank following the collision.
The body of the deceased crewmember was recovered by divers after an extended search and rescue area and was brought to al-Balah Island to be returned to the family. The victim has been identified as chief engineer El-Sayed Ali Mohamed Mousa.
The details of the accident were not released. The gas carrier was northbound at the time passing Al-Balah around 1130 GMT, making about 10 knots, and did not appear to stop or change speed until reaching exiting the canal at Port Said.
FAHD was built in the Netherlands by Bodewes Binnenvaart at Millingen for NRS Towage as BRIELSEBANK of which she was sold later on in the same building year of 1976. She was identical like her sister here as KWINTEBANK, built by the same shipyard and year.
Both images at Rotterdam, Netherlands in 2002.
Meanwhile the gas carrier CHINAGAS LEGEND remains at anchor off Port Said as investigations into the circumstances of the collision continue, according to the SCA.
