Discover the Coyhaique: Ratings & Maritime News

A significant salvage operation was initiated after the roro ferry 'Coyhaique' ran aground on July 3, 2019, close to Huichas Island in the Moraleda Channel, near Puerto Aguirre, in the Aysén Region of Chile. The vessel was en route from Puerto Chacabuco to Puerto Montt when it encountered trouble, leading to a listing to port with 20 passengers and 18 crew members onboard. Fortunately, all individuals were successfully evacuated by the motorboat 'Alexis' and brought to Puerto Aguirre in good health, although sadly, one officer passed away under circumstances currently under investigation. To ensure safety, the ferry was monitored by patrol vessels 'Ortiz' and 'Micalvi,' alongside LSG 'Aysén' and 'LPM 4411' from the Chilean Navy. Salvage teams faced an additional challenge as they needed to manage 15 cattle trucks present on the deck of the ship. By July 7, 17 of the 244 cattle had perished due to the conditions, as the vessel suffered breaches in its hull and flooding in the engine room, which caused some oil pollution. Efforts were focused on stabilizing the ship to assess how to safely transfer the surviving cattle, with nourishment being provided through the top of the trucks. After a week of intense effort, Oxxean SA successfully refloated the 'Coyhaique' along with more than 200 cattle, a challenging operation that involved around 90 technicians and workers, supported by six vessels. They managed to halt the ingress of water and seal the leaks, allowing the ferry to be towed to Puerto Laguna, located seven kilometers south of the grounding site, where more favorable conditions were present for temporary repairs on July 10. The remaining animals were later transferred to three different vessels and taken to Puerto Chacabuco. To read more about this incident, visit the following Spanish-language reports: http://diarioaysen.cl/2019/07/17/ http://www.mundoacuicola.cl/new/2019/07/15/oxxean-realiza-salvamento-de-ferry-coyhaique-y-200-animales-a-bordo/ https://www.eldinamo.cl/nacional/2019/07/15/empresa-maritima-realiza-salvamento-del-naufragado-ferry-coyhaique/ https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/region-de-aysen/2019/07/03/descartan-derrame-de-combustible-tras-varamiento-de-embarcacion-en-aysen.shtml https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/region-de-aysen/2019/07/10/remolcan-a-lugar-seguro-ferry-que-encallo-en-aysen-con-250-vacunos-sag-evalua-sancionar-a-empresa.shtml https://rtvnoticiaschile.cl/index.php/2019/07/10/remolcan-a-lugar-seguro-ferry-que-encallo-en-aysen-con-250-vacunos-sag-evalua-sancionar-a-empresa/ https://www.eldivisadero.cl/noticia-52801.

In a dramatic incident on July 3, 2023, the ro-ro cargo ferry COYHAIQUE encountered trouble while navigating the waters near Huichas Island in the Aysen region of Chile. The vessel, carrying 19 passengers and 18 crew members, found itself aground at approximately 0200 LT during its voyage from Puerto Chacabuco to Puerto Montt. An unfortunate report surfaced regarding the death of a crew member, suspected to be a suicide, in the wake of the incident. The COYHAIQUE suffered significant damage as its hull breached, leading to the flooding of the engine room. Fortunately, swift action was taken to ensure the safety of everyone on board, resulting in the successful evacuation of all passengers and crew. The ferry was also transporting an unspecified number of vehicles at the time of the accident, adding to the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding this maritime emergency.