Lifeboat launched after chief engineer gets injured on cargo ship 'Hendrik S'

Lifeboat launched after crewman gets injured on cargo ship
22 February 2018 http://www.tenby-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=114901&headline=Lifeboat%20l...

Tenby’s relief RNLI all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch shortly before 2.30 pm on Thursday, February 15, after a report from the cargo ship Hendrik S reporting an injured crew member.

The ship was on passage from Dublin to Amsterdam when the chief engineer got his fingers trapped in a hatch during heavy seas south of St. Govans, breaking several of them.

The volunteer crew were quickly on the water and made best speed towards the sheltered bay at Barafundle, where the Hendrik S had been requested to head to aid to transfer of the injured crewman.

Once on scene, and in the relative calm of Barafundle Bay, the coxswain positioned the lifeboat alongside the 3,200 tonne cargo ship. The injured chief engineer, accompanied by the first mate, boarded the lifeboat for the 11-mile trip back to Tenby.

Upon arriving back at the lifeboat station at 3.40 pm, the injured crewman made his way to hospital.

Hendrik S requests assistance again

At approximately 11.20 pm, the crew of the lifeboat were paged to once again go to the assistance of the cargo ship Hendrik S.

The skipper of the cargo vessel, which was sheltering off Barafundle, was fearing for the safety of his vessel and crew due to extreme fatigue. His first mate was ashore with the injured chief engineer, having been taken ashore by the lifeboat earlier in the day for medical treatment.

The owners of the ship had failed to get transport for the first mate to return to the ship and due to the possible danger posed to the vessel by an extremely tired captain, it was decided to launch the lifeboat to avert a possible grounding of the 3,200 tonne cargo ship.

The lifeboat launched at 11.30 pm with both the first mate and chief engineer aboard and made their way to the Hendrik S. Once alongside, the lifeboat transferred both men back to their vessel, before heading back to Tenby.

The lifeboat finally rehoused at 12.30 am.