C11/​2001M Tug EEVA, Sink­ing on Airisto on 19.10.2001

23.01.2004

Small tug EEVA was pushing a little working pontoon on Airisto in the archipelago sea area near Turku when she suddenly sank in the evening at about 21 hours between the isles Vepsä and Rymättylä. To the Master’s surprise the tug had taken so much water. He could not prevent sinking with the inadequately working pumps available. While the Master tried to pump water out the tug drifted about one nautical mile southwards. During the drifting the Master did not make emergency call. When the tug had sunk the Master succeeded to climb on the working pontoon after which he tried several times to make the emergency call by his mobile phone until he succeeded on third time at 22:12. The Master had been on the pontoon for about an hour and half before the SAR units arrived to the scene. He was rescued by the patrol boat of police half an hour after the emergency call.

The tug was salvaged and inspected after the accident. The sealant of the propeller tube was missing. The sinking of the vessel was assumed to have started with the leak through the propeller tube. The sinking was, in addition to the leak, due to an initial heel caused by the shifted deck cargo and the water in the hold. After heeling the aft cargo hold was filled by water by the waves through the hatch opening. The investigator presents no safety recommendations, but highlights the importance of good safety attitudes and practises as well as preparedness for accidents.