Prince William Sound Drifting Incident

Chronology of Events


0620 hrs: Comm’s Centre guy reported to Duty Engineer after confirmed PWS slowly moving out from original position.

0621 hrs: All teams notified and immediately heading to ISC Base.

0630 hrs: First emergency respond team leaded by T/S Ater departed from base using Lynx boat.

0645 hrs: Lynx boat arrived vessel and team embarked. They prepared for emergency anchor release on port side but then the anchor failed to fall by gravity. Start swapping new cable to port anchor.

0700 hrs: Second emergency team leaded by Capt. Edmund departed from ISC Base using Cougar boat.

0715 hrs: All personnel embarked vessel. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 11.570’N 115⁰ 19.691’E and SOG: 0.4

0720 hrs: Electrical panel for anchor windlasses checked and prepared by electrician.

0734 hrs: Start port anchor windlass (hydraulic powered).

0735 hrs: Start lowering anchor until 2 shackles down.

0745 hrs: Stop port anchor windlass. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 11.571’N 115⁰ 19.724’E SOG: 0.3

0755 hrs: Pilot onboard. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 11.573’N 115⁰ 19.746’E SOG: 0.4

0800 hrs: Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 11.579’N 115⁰ 19.768’E SOG: 0.3

0807 hrs: Tugboat Baracuda approaching vessel fwd side.

0809 hrs: Start heaving up port anchor. Another team picked up tugboat towing line using rope.

0814 hrs: Tugboat towing line made fast, secured to vessel.

0815 hrs: Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 11.579’N 115⁰ 19.768’E SOG: 0.3

0817 hrs: Tugboat starts towing vessel to new position.

0820 hrs: Anchor fluke heaved up until touch just about on waterline. Brake applied and windlass stopped.

0900 hrs: Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.714’N 115⁰ 19.711’E SOG: 0.3

0920 hrs: Start port anchor windlass.

0930 hrs: Vessel arrived at new position: 5⁰ 10.631’N 115⁰ 19.674’E SOG: 0.2

0933 hrs: Start lowering port anchor.

0935 hrs: First shackle on deck. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.578’N 115⁰ 19.666’E SOG: 0.2

0938 hrs: Second shackle on deck. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.574’N 115⁰ 19.658’E SOG: 0.2

0942 hrs: Third shackle on deck. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.568’N 115⁰ 19.646’E SOG: 0.2

0945 hrs: Fourth shackle on deck. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.602’N 115⁰ 19.654’E SOG: 0.2

0953 hrs: Fifth shackle on deck. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.621’N 115⁰ 19.692’E SOG: 0.2

0955 hrs: Sixth shackle on deck. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.638’N 115⁰ 19.688’E SOG: 0.1

0958 hrs: Seventh shackle on deck. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.668’N 115⁰ 19.695’E SOG: 0.0

1002 hrs: Eighth shackle on deck. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.667’N 115⁰ 19.699’E SOG: 0.1

1007 hrs: Eighth shackle on the water. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.664’N 115⁰ 19.694’E SOG: 0.1

1009 hrs: Windlass brake applied and stopper bar secured. Port anchor windlass stopped.

1010 hrs: Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.666’N 115⁰ 19.697’E SOG: 0.0

1012 hrs: Tugboat towing line disconnected from vessel.

1013 hrs: Tugboat leaving vessel area.

1014 hrs: Start stbd anchor windlass (hydraulic powered).

1017 hrs: Pilot disembarked from vessel.

1018 hrs: Start heaving up stbd anchor chain.

1020 hrs: Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.671’N 115⁰ 19.674’E SOG: 0.1

1038 hrs: The eleventh shackle reached on deck with end chains. All other 10 shackles found lost.

1040hrs: Windlass brake applied and stopper bar secured. Stbd anchor windlass stopped.

1040 hrs: All completed. Vessel GPS position at 5⁰ 10.682’N 115⁰ 19.676’E SOG: 0.0



Prepared by:

M. Ashraf Kamal

Duty Engineer of the day