Naval flagship heads to aid of stricken ship as gale worsens

The Naval Service flagship Eithne was due to arrive alongside the troubled bulk carrier, the Oak, in heavy seas off the Fastnet rock early today as worsening weather conditions were forecast. A British coastguard tug, the Anglian Prince, was also attempting to reach the ship during the night.

The 13,000-tonne cargo vessel with 26 Greek and Filipino crew members on board has been listing since its load of timber shifted and a distress call was put out on New Year's Eve.

Speaking from Shannon, the captain of an RAF Nimrod aircraft which overflew the Oak told how he saw the vessel listing in the "huge swell".

"It was one of the worst I have ever seen," said Flight Lieut Allan Squires, who is based at Kinloss in Scotland. During the 5 1/2 hours he was over the Oak, he saw water lapping over the sides of the cargo ship as it rolled in a 40-degree arc.

He described how the vessel's crew undertook the hazardous task of unlashing cargo to jettison it from the deck and help correct the list. Water also entered the vessel's hold, and the skipper had to flood ballast tanks to stabilise the situation.

Along with two Naval Service patrol ships, the Shannon-based Sikorsky helicopter of the Irish Marine Emergency Service (IMES) was on alert throughout yesterday.

The RAF Nimrod overflew the ship while two RAF helicopters - a long-range Chinook and mediumrange Sea King - were on standby at Shannon. The Chinook was sent back to Scotland as the ship approached the Irish maritime zone last night.

An Air Corps Casa maritime patrol aircraft may also be deployed to monitor the progress of the ship, which is en route to Liverpool. Last night the ship's captain informed rescue services that he believed they were out of danger, having jettisoned some of the cargo of timber.

The Naval Service flagship under Cdr Rory Costello put out in 50-knot winds from Galway docks yesterday, having been on standby during the day. The cargo ship, which is Bahamian-registered and was en route from Canada, issued a distress signal on New Year's Eve when its load shifted in the storm and it developed a 40-degree list.

Pollution risks were being discounted last night and no evacuation was envisaged.