COLLISION: BALTIC ACE & CORVUS J (UPDATE)

Last night around 19.20 local time vehicle carrier Baltic Ace (IMO: 9386213, Port of Registry: Nassau, Bahama's) and containership (IMO: 9262895, Port of Registry: Limassol, Cyprus) came into collision with each other about 35 miles off the Dutch coast in the North Sea near the North Hinder Light Buoy. The Corvus J only suffered some small damage and no injuries. 13 of the 24 crew members of the Baltic Ace have rescued themselves using life rafts. The Baltic Ace has sunk. 5 crew members did not survive the accident. 6 crew members are still missing. Several crew members have been transported to hospitals in the Netherlands. Several helicopters, marine vessels and nearby merchant vessels assisted in the rescue operation which has been called off last night. The rescue operating was resumed at daylight using search planes and helicopters. However there is no hope that any crew members will be found alive due to the harsh circumstances and the low water temperature. The Baltic Ace left the port of Zeebrugge earlier on Wednesday and was underway to Kotka, Finland. The Corvus J was underway from Grangemouth to Antwerp. Below you can find the tracks of the two vessels before the collision (data provided by Marine Traffic) or you can look at Vessel Finder for a video based on AIS data: Click here for the current position of the Corvus J.

Corvus J Source: ShipSpotting.com © Henk Jungerius Baltic Ace Source: ShipSpotting.com © Lennart Rydberg