AUSTRALIA: A British navy frigate with 253 crew on board sent out a distress call after hitting a rock in heavy seas off the coast of south-east Australia, Australian authorities said early today.
The HMS Nottingham took on water and suffered steering problems after striking the rock late yesterday about two kilometres east of Lord Howe Island, 820 kilometres north-east of Sydney, a spokesman with the Australian maritime search and rescue office said.
"There were some concerns for the stability of the vessel but the crew managed to stabilise it and are waiting for morning to assess the situation," said the spokesman, Mr Alan Lloyd.
He said there were no injuries aboard and that the ship was not in danger of sinking.
He said the HMS Nottingham was anchored about 500 metres off Lord Howe Island and that an Australian Hercules transport aircraft would fly pumping equipment, salvage workers and navy divers from the mainland to the ship at daylight today.
"There will be enquiries into why it hit the rock, for now we don't know the reason," Mr Lloyd said, adding that the rock was well charted and the incident occurred in heavy seas.
Lord Howe Island, a sliver of land about one kilometre wide and 14 long, has about 320 residents and is mostly national park with no deep water port.
It has been designated a world heritage site and has the world's southernmost coral reef offshore.
Mr David Gray, an official at the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said pumping equipment was being sent to Howe Island after an urgent plea from the Howe Island harbour master.
"At the moment the Royal Australian Air Force are loading pumps and will be flying out to Lord Howe Island in the next three or four hours," he said. "It was rather a panic situation when the broadcast first came out because they weren't too sure how much water they were taking," he added. "But they have moved to a position now and anchored just off the aerodrome on the island and are waiting for the pumps to turn up."
"Hopefully they can contain or hold the situation until we get these pumps in action," he said. - (AFP, Reuters)