16 Sep Crew rescued from ship that caught fire in South Africa

Fifteen crew members have been rescued from the offshore supply vessel (OSV) AM Pride after it caught fire off the coast of South Africa.

The fire, which began in the messroom, quickly escalated out of control on the Marshall Islands-registered vessel, located approximately 48.5 nautical miles south of Mossel Bay, according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

The Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) in Cape Town was alerted by PetroSA, who reported the fire near the FA Platform and requested immediate assistance.

Despite challenging weather conditions with winds gusting up to 30 knots and swells reaching 5 metres, a PetroSA helicopter successfully evacuated the 15 crew members in two groups, transferring them to the FA platform and George.

An emergency towing vessel, the Mkhuseli, operated by African Marine Solution (AMSOL), has been dispatched to tow the AM Pride to a place of refuge, in coordination with the vessel’s owners.

Nearby vessels MV Angelic Peace and MV Thunderbird also responded to the mayday call to assist.