North Sea Storm Injures Master and Officer: Helicopter Rescue
A heavy-lift vessel’s crew battled 5-metre waves and 80 mph gusts before a Dutch helicopter evacuated the injured.
A heavy-lift vessel operating in the North Sea issued a Mayday call on Sunday after its crew battled severe rolling and 5-metre waves during last weekend’s storms, leaving the master and second officer injured and requiring evacuation by a Dutch rescue helicopter.
The UHL Freedom, a 14,000 dwt vessel registered in Portugal and owned by United Heavy Lift, was approximately 18 miles off the Dutch coast near Schiermonnikoog when the incident occurred. The ship, measuring 150 metres (492 feet) and carrying a crew of 25, was transporting materials for offshore wind farms when it swung beam-on to the seas, exposing it to extreme acceleration forces.
Crew Injured as Vessel Rolls in Heavy Seas: Rescue
The storm, which brought sustained winds of 50-60 mph and gusts of up to 80 mph, caused the vessel to experience violent rolling. According to United Heavy Lift, the master and second officer lost their footing and sustained injuries during the incident. A third crewmember was also injured but did not require evacuation.
The chief officer issued the Mayday, reporting waves of up to 5 metres (16-plus feet). Dutch lifeboats and a rescue tug, along with a German rescue tug, were dispatched to assist. A Dutch rescue helicopter successfully evacuated the master and second officer, transporting them to a hospital. The master remains under treatment for unspecified injuries, while the second officer was treated and released.
Initially, Dutch authorities reported five crewmembers injured, but this was later revised to three. United Heavy Lift disputed claims by the Dutch rescue service that the vessel had experienced engine problems, stating:
“At no time did the vessel experience any engine failure or machinery damage.”
United Heavy Lift·Vessel owner
Vessel Regains Control and Proceeds to Port
After the evacuation, the crew managed to bring the vessel’s bow back into the seas and completed weighing anchor. The UHL Freedom then proceeded to the port of Emden, Germany, with the Dutch rescue tug Guardian remaining nearby. The vessel has since docked safely.
The incident occurred amid widespread storm damage in the region, including an unrelated collision in the port of Bremerhaven, where a cruise ship struck two containerships.
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