Malta Naval Visits – August 2024

Contrary to the month of July, August was an interesting month indeed, starting with an interesting Russian Navy Replenishment tanker RFS AKADEMIK PASHIN that passed in the Malta/Sicily Channel on Friday 2nd August. Tuesday 6th August.  The Italian Navy (Marina Militare Italiana) ocean ketch , a sail training yacht ITS ORSA MAGGIORE A 5323 anchored […]

Aviation – Farewell to the AB 212 Helicopter by the Italian Air Force – 22.02.2024

After 40 years of excellent service the last HH-212 (as the AB212 is designated in accordance with the Italian MOD Mission Design Series) of the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Airforce), made its final flight from its homebase at Grazzanise, Italy, last Thursday 22nd February during a phase out ceremony that celebrated the 40 years of activity […]

Malta Naval Visits – February 2024

Friday 2nd February.  Year 2024 was started with an interesting naval movement  and the maiden call of the French Navy Mistral Class Amphibious Assault & Command Ship (Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement / BPC) FS DIXMUDE L 9015. She passed breakwaters at 0817 hrs coming from Egypt after she was being used as a […]

Casualties – IOM flag Cargo ship VERITY sank after collision – 24.10.2023

Early Tuesday 24th October, 2023 morning around 0500 hrs the Isle of Man (IOM) flag general cargo ship  VERITY sank after she was involved in a collision with the Polish owned BHS flag bulker POLESIE.   She was underway to the Immingham ,UK, carrying steel from the northern German city of Bremen, when she collided […]

Drug Bust – Irish Defence Forces storm the bulker MATTHEW – September 2023

Irish military forces raided the Panamanian flag (PAN) bulk carrier MATTHEW  on the morning of Tuesday 26th September and discovered a “significant quantity” of illegal narcotics, believed to be cocaine off the coast of Cork. The Irish Defence Forces said that the ship had been tracked for several days after traveling from South America. The Irish […]

Malta Naval Visits – February 2023

Naval Visits for the year 2023 started from February – Saturday 4th to Tuesday 7th February The First Naval Ship was the Italian Navy Gaeta Class Minehunter ITS VIAREGGIO M 5559 that entered at 0924 hrs. She was seen for the first time in Malta back to 2001 when she was only 5 years old. […]

Malta Naval Visits – RFA ARGUS A 135 – 23-25.11.2022

On Wednesday 23rd November, 2022 the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Role 3 Casualty Treatment/Aviation Training Ship RFA ARGUS A 135 passed Grand Harbour, Malta breakwaters at 1026 hrs after embarking pilot at Marsaxlokk Harbour Pilot Station 2 Bravo due to heavy swell off Grand Harbour (OGH) during her maiden call. She was originally built as […]

Casualties – Medevac by French Navy after MSC RACHELE explosion – June 2022

On Tuesday 21st June, 2022 around 0900 hrs the Regional Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) in Toulon, France received a distress call from the 334 metre containership MSC RACHELE that due to engine room fire , followed by an explosion 3 injured crew members needed a medical evacuation (Medevac). She was sailing between Naples and the […]