Iepborg Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

On March 20, 2019, three crew members from the vessel "Alana Evita", anchored in the Bristol Channel near Minehead, UK, experienced a harrowing night. After heading ashore in a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) for some leisure at a local bar in Barry, the sailors—representing Russia, the Netherlands, and the Philippines—embarked on their return journey to the ship at 3:45 a.m. However, thick fog in the channel obscured their navigation, and they did not arrive back on board. By 7 a.m., their absence was reported, prompting an immediate response. The Minehead RNLI's Atlantic class lifeboat and the all-weather lifeboat from Barry Dock were launched shortly after to commence the search. As the situation unfolded, additional support arrived, with both the Atlantic 85 and D-class lifeboats from Penarth RNLI, along with Ilfracombe RNLI's Shannon class lifeboat joining the rescue efforts around 8 a.m. These five lifeboats meticulously scoured the coastline in search of the missing sailors. Miraculously, at 8:30 a.m., Penarth RNLI volunteers located the crew members safe, albeit very cold, on Flat Holm Island. After undergoing assessment by the RNLI team, the Coastguard 187 helicopter landed on the island for further evaluation. It was determined that the sailors were fit enough to make their way back to the mainland via lifeboat. Subsequently, all lifeboats were called off and returned to their respective stations. For more details, check out the official RNLI report featuring photos and videos of the rescue at: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2019/march/21/three-sailors-rescued-after-extensive-rnli-search-in-the-bristol-channel.

On December 23, 2016, a notable maritime incident occurred in Svetly, part of the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, when the tanker 'Key Marmara' collided with the Dutch freighter 'Alana Evita'. The tanker, reportedly off its intended course, failed to halt in time, resulting in a forceful allision with the freighter’s starboard side. At the time of the incident, the 'Alana Evita' had just disembarked from Gdansk on December 21. The impact caused significant damage to the freighter, notably a large breach in its hull that extended partially below the waterline due to the penetration of the bulbous bow of the 'Key Marmara'. Fortunately, the 'Key Marmara' sustained only minor damages and was able to resume its journey to Egersund on December 26. In contrast, the 'Alana Evita' faces extensive repairs before returning to service. For further insights and visuals of the incident, a Danish report including video footage is available at http://www.maritimedanmark.dk/?Id=33376.