Onlookers watched the refloating of a 16,000 tonne Russian ship nearly ten hours after it ran aground off the coast of Cornwall today in winds gusting at up to 74mph – as the owner blamed the British for the incident.
The Kuzma Minin grounded off Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth at about 5.40am, in what was described as ‘extreme’ and ‘horrific’ weather – but it was successfully refloated during high tide this afternoon.
The ship was finally freed at around 2.30pm after the tide began to turn during what was described as a ‘last ditch’ attempt. As black smoke plumed from the ship’s exhaust it finally broke free, assisted by the local tug boats.
The ship – carrying 18 crew but no cargo on board today – had more than 100 faults at its latest inspection, and was held in the Netherlands for seven months where locals claim the crew had nothing to eat or drink.
But Murmansk Shipping Company has blamed dangerous conditions around Falmouth for the grounding of their vessel. And the company said it could launch legal action to reclaim expenses caused by the incident.
The crew are believed to have stayed on board throughout the operation to rescue their vessel, although the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have been asked to confirm this.
Locals look on as the coastguard attempts to refloat the stricken Kuzma Minin this afternoon in Falmouth, Cornwall
The Russian carrier ship Kuzma Minin is finally pulled clear as crowds watch on from the beach in Falmouth today
Crew aboard the stricken ship Kuzma Minin look out as it lists as attempts are made to refloat it in Falmouth today
Crew members can be seen watching as their stricken ship the Kuzma Minin lists on the water off the Cornish coast today
People watch as attempts are made to tow the stricken Kuzma Minin out to sea this afternoon in Falmouth, Cornwall
The Russian cargo ship Kuzma Minin ran aground early this morning off Gyllyngvase Beach, along the Cornish coast
A member of a search and rescue team hangs from a coastguard helicopter flying over the Kuzuma Minin in Cornwall today
First deputy general director Ildar Neverov said: ‘The vessel caught on a chain that was at the bottom of the strait. These unsafe navigation conditions were at the location of the vessel. It was uncontrollably dragged some distance and then, yes, it ran aground.’
Mr Neverov said local specialists will conduct a diving inspection of the vessel today. He said: ‘We’ll get the oil necessary for the movement, and the ship will continue its journey. There is no visible damage, there are no problems. We believe that the situation is easy to resolve.’
Mr Neverov said the Kuzmar Minin had gone to Falmouth on the possibility of loading cargo. Murmansk is one of the primary shipping companies operating in northern Europe and Arctic Russia – with 303 vessels. It was established in 1939. The Russian Embassy has launched its own investigation.
Mr Neverov said: ‘We will clearly state our position on the fact that the conditions for safe navigation in this area have not been created… we will definitely look at recovery of damages.’
Speaking about the rescue mission, Marc Thomas, senior coastal operations manager for the Coastguard, said: ‘That’s a really good result, it was right down to the wire. It was a bit of a last ditch attempt but they’ve done it.
‘We’re really proud of everyone, they’ve responded very well and there’s been a great effort. It was hard and I was worried. If the ship had stayed over night there’s a chance it could have broken up, no one wants that.’
The 16,000-tonne Russian cargo ship ran aground off a beach in Cornwall at about 5.40am this morning
A view of Coastguard winchman Niall Hanson being lowered down to the Kuzma Minin to assist the Harbour Pilot onboard
Cuts to the number of emergency towing vessels in the UK meant it was ‘only a matter of time’ before rescuers would have problems dealing with situations like the grounding of a Russian cargo ship off Cornwall, a marine expert said.
David Appleton, a shipping expert with Nautilus International, a trade union for maritime professionals, said there used to be four emergency HM Coastguard towing vessels in the UK, but, because of cutbacks, there is only one left in Scotland.
He said that was not good enough when there was an incident anywhere else in the UK.
He said: ‘We do need that coverage and it’s lucky that in this instance, and in other instances we’ve seen in the past, that there hasn’t been any serious pollution or any serious threat to life. It’s only a matter of time, if you don’t have the provisions in place, until something major does happen.’
It came after the Met Office issued a yellow warning for severe weather with 65mph winds forecast. Gales were recorded at up to 74mph in Cornwall and 40 knots on the River Tamar – disrupting traffic.
A view of the huge Russian cargo ship as seen from an HM Coastguard helicopter after it ran aground this morning
The Sarah Grey, a tug, manoeuvres the Kuzma Minin as attempts are made to refloat it after it ran aground this morning
Tugs manoeuvre the Kuzma Minin, a 16,000-tonne Russian cargo ship, as attempts are made to refloat it this afternoon
The Coastguard said tugs will be attached to the cargo ship – and ‘as the tide rises, the plan is to re-float the vessel’
Earlier, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the 590ft (180m) bulk carrier registered in Russia, built in 1980, had dragged its anchor and had a list of about five degrees.
Nigel Kitto, who lives locally, praised the work of the lifeboat and helicopter teams working in ‘horrific’ conditions.
‘The helicopter and lifeboat have been going in and out and it’s incredible to see – the skill of the helicopter pilot,’ he said. ‘The helicopter is going sideways here against the wind and struggling a bit.
‘It’s amazing to watch but there are people on board so fingers crossed that everyone gets back to shore OK.’
The efforts to rescue sailors from the beached tanker come on the eve of the 37th anniversary of the Penlee lifeboat disaster. The 1981 tragedy, which occurred in nearby Penzance, claimed the lives of 16 people in similar circumstances.
‘There are dangerous rocks down there and this brings up memories for everyone, I imagine,’ Mr Kitto added.
Falmouth resident Jess Hughes described this morning’s weather on the Cornish coast as ‘extreme’.
‘As you come over the crest of the hill there’s just this huge ship where there shouldn’t be,’ she said. Last night it was horrendously windy and now there’s gravel up by the road so it was a good high tide,’ she added.
Local residents praised the work of the lifeboat and helicopter teams working in ‘horrific’ conditions in Cornwall today
The Kuzma Minin, a 16,000-tonne Russian cargo ship, after it ran aground off Gyllyngvase Beach in Cornwall this morning
A Coastguard helicopter lands on the deck of the Russian bulk carrier ship off Falmouth today
The Kuzma Minin became stranded off Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth in Cornwall today
Sean Stratton, who spotted the ship on the beach in Falmouth today, tweeted: ‘Russian ship wrecked on Gyllyngvase beach! She’s broadside onto the beach.
‘In my opinion Falmouth shipyard tugs won’t be powerful enough to pull her off the suction effect of sand. A salvage tug is needed but they no longer station one at Falmouth… I’m claiming wreckers’ rights!’
A map of the UK showing the wind pattern over at 8am today
Michael Hall, 62, a retired Navy officer from Falmouth was among those at the scene and earlier warned that a rescue would not be easy.
He said: ‘I heard this ship had run aground so I came down to take a look. I’d imagine it dropped its anchor and dragged it into the beach. It’s broadside so the ship’s structure is acting as a sail.
‘The winds are gale force with between three and six foot waves. The ship was there when I got up at 7. It must have happened in the early hours of the morning.
‘This is the first one that’s run aground in a long time, the last was on New Year’s Eve in 1978. That was in bad weather as well, she hit the rocks and it was difficult to free her.
‘Here there are two issues. If she comes into the beach she will stick in the sand. Because the waves are rocking her back and forwards you have an issue.
‘If she had cargo on board you could get it off and make it lighter. If you went to tow her off as it is it would be incredible difficult to free her because of the suction effect of the sand – it creates a vacuum. It’s a problem.’
Mark Thomas, senior coastal operations manager for the Coastguard, said: ‘With the horrendous conditions the ship has drifted to shore. She’s on the beach, we think the hull part of the ship is just on the reef.
‘At the minute they are safe on board, there are no injuries. We’re working with the harbour officers to get a tow rope attached.
‘The conditions are horrendous, the harbour rugs are working at the very limit of their conditions with waves breaking over the deck. The plan is to tow her out when the tide comes in at about lunchtime. It’s a dangerous operation, there’s lots that could go wrong.’
A crowd of around 50 curious onlookers gathered at the scene.
A tug and rib monitor the situation with the Russian carrier ship Kuzma Minin aground off Falmouth in Cornwall today
Emergency services launched a major operation after the Kuzma Minin became stranded
The 16,000-tonne Russian cargo ship ran aground off Gyllyngvase Beach in Cornwall today
HM Coastguard was co-cordinating assistance to the bulk carrier in Cornwall this morning
Further details emerged about how it became stranded so close to the beach. Yesterday the ship was anchored several miles off the coast of Falmouth and spent several hours sheltering from the oncoming storm.
Through the night it continuously moving in a limited area. But at 3am The Kuzma began to slip anchor and drifted towards the shoreline. At 4.30am the crew and tide manage to pull the Kuzma back out to sea.
Over the next hour she can be seen moving back and forth between the coast and sea – gradually moving towards the shoreline.
At 5.22am the Kuzma Minin is grounded on a sandbank less than 100feet of Gyllynvase beach and the rescue operation is launched.
The ship’s home port is Murmansk. Although it is empty at the moment, it usually carries cargo around northern Europe, including Port Talbot in Wales.
In a statement, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: ‘HM Coastguard is currently co-ordinating assistance to the Kuzma Minin, a Russian flagged 180 metre bulk carrier, which dragged and grounded on the western side of the port entrance between Swanpool and Gyllyngvase beaches at around 5.40am today.
‘The vessel has 18 Russian crew on board but there are no reported injuries. There is no cargo on board. She currently has a list of five degrees but there is no report of any pollution.
Gales have already been recorded at up to 74mph in Cornwall and 40 knots on the River Tamar
The vessel which ran aground this morning has 18 Russian crew on board, but there is no cargo
‘HM Coastguard and Devon & Cornwall Police have declared a major incident due to the large number of people that use the beach and the disruption to traffic in the town.
‘The Secretary of State’s Representative (SOSRep) Maritime Salvage & Intervention is closely monitoring the situation and the local Environment Group is also being kept informed.
‘Tugs are on their way to the vessel and Falmouth RNLI all-weather lifeboat is standing by at the scene. Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Team have cordoned off an area around the ship.
‘HM Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter based at Newquay was used to transfer a marine pilot on to the vessel.’
The Russian cargo ship ran aground off a beach on the south coast of Britain this morning
Emergency services launched the operation after the ship became stranded in Cornwall
The RNLI launched out of Falmouth with pilot boats from the nearby docks also in the water
A former Falmouth senior pilot captain had said local tugs do not have the power pull the grounded Russian cargo near a beach in Cornwall to safety.
David Barnicoat said he feared ‘our tugs won’t be powerful enough to get her off unless the wind dies right away’. He added: ‘You need something of about 100 tonnes and we just don’t have that available.’
He also warned of the risk of pollution if the ship hit nearby rocks. He said: ‘It’s a little bit rocky where she is, so there could be some pollution. Just to the south-west of the beach it is all rocky shoreline so there is potential for pollution.’
Commuters were being warned of potentially treacherous conditions on the roads today amid a series of weather warnings. The Met Office urged rush hour drivers to take care with heavy showers and strong winds expected to batter parts of the UK.
London and the South East, Northern Ireland, South West England and Wales have been issued with warnings today, with heavy rain and gusts of 65mph expected.
Heavy rain is expected between 5am and 9pm across much of West, South and parts of Mid Wales, with strong winds expected to affect the Welsh coast.
The rain warning for South Wales, including Cardiff and Swansea, and Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and West Sussex is in effect until 9pm.
The worst of the weather is expected to have cleared by mid-afternoon but further east the worst conditions are likely to be during the afternoon and early evening.