A livestock carrier with 33 crew on board narrowly avoided running aground off the southwest coast of Italy after losing engine power during severe weather on the night of 28 January.
The Blue Ocean A, a 116-metre, Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged vessel, suffered an engine failure while sailing near Isola di San Pietro, close to the town of Carloforte in Sardinia.
The ship was on its way to Cartagena, Spain, after transiting the Suez Canal. Strong winds, reported to be between 40 and over 50 knots, and waves of about five metres pushed the vessel towards a rocky shoreline.
Initial assistance was provided by the Carloforte Port Authority, before the operation was taken over by the Italian Coast Guard in Cagliari.
Patrol boats from Carloforte and Sant’Antioco were sent to the scene, along with a tug from Portovesme.
Weather conditions made operations difficult, and four towing lines broke during early attempts to secure the ship. A larger tug was later requested from Sarroch.
As the vessel drifted closer to land, the crew managed to drop anchor about 100 metres from the cliffs, avoiding grounding due to sufficient water depth.
With the stern continuing to move towards the rocks, the captain reportedly requested an emergency evacuation of the crew.
The Coast Guard then deployed a helicopter from its 4th Helicopter Section, supported by a helicopter from the Italian Air Force.
However, the evacuation could not be carried out because the vessel was rolling and pitching heavily in the storm. The crew remained on board and gathered on the upper deck while efforts continued to stabilise the ship.
During the night, the tug Vincenzino O. arrived from Cagliari and helped hold the vessel in position using a combination of tug assistance and anchors. This prevented the ship from drifting further towards the coast.
By early 29 January, the Coast Guard said the situation was under control, although weather and sea conditions remained challenging.
The Blue Ocean A was later moved into calmer waters in the Golfo di Palmas and was to be towed to the port of Sant’Antioco, escorted by a Coast Guard patrol vessel.
The vessel has a deadweight tonnage of 4,780 and was built in 1992 as a container ship before being converted into a livestock carrier in 2013. It is owned by a Turkish company.
There were 33 crew members on board, but authorities said it is not clear whether any livestock were being carried, with some reports suggesting the ship was empty.
After the incident, animal welfare groups again raised concerns about the risks linked to ageing livestock carriers.
Former live export veterinarian Dr Lynn Simpson reportedly said that mechanical failures like this show the safety dangers of ageing vessels. She added that the global livestock fleet, with about 110 ships, has an average age of over 40 years.
Dr Simpson said that while crew members can be rescued during emergencies, animals on board cannot. She added that unless the livestock trade is better managed or replaced with refrigerated meat shipments, similar incidents may happen again.
Italy’s Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Edoardo Rixi, praised the Coast Guard, Air Force, and port authorities for their response. He noted that engine failures at sea can quickly become serious, especially in bad weather.
No one was injured, and authorities confirmed that a major maritime accident was avoided.
