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ATLANTIC COAST: THE NAVAL Service patrol vessel LE Roisín is undergoing urgent repairs in Galway dock, following wave damage in severe weather off Kerry coast during a New Year’s Eve fishery patrol.
The damage to the “flare” or custom-built bow has been attributed to a hostile Atlantic.
The vessel was travelling northwards and had just left the Blasket Sound when the superstructure was hit.
It was not holed, but the port side of the bow’s flaring was “pushed in”, a Naval Service spokesman said.
The vessel had up to 44 crew under the command of Lieut-Cdr Owen Mulowney.
A course was set for Galway, to effect temporary repairs, but it is expected the vessel will return to the Naval Service base at Haulbowline for further examination.
It is the second time the LE Roisín – one of the two most recently built ships owned by the Naval Service – has been damaged in heavy seas. Just over five years ago, in October 2004, its flaring was hit when it was en route to a Canadian submarine 100 miles west of the Donegal coast. A fire had broken out on board the HMCS Chicoutimi , claiming the life of one Canadian officer and injuring two crewmen. The LE Aoife was tasked to assist when the LE Roisín was forced to turn back.
The Naval Service said, in this incident, the watertight integrity was not affected.
A spokesman said the “flare” is designed to protect crew accommodation in heavy weather.
Four Naval Service vessels remained on sailing order over Christmas, and fishery patrols resumed on December 28th.
Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea has promised to buy two new vessels to replace ageing Naval Service vessels, but has deferred the delivery to 2012-2013, “subject to Government approval on funding”.
Three months ago, Defence Forces representative organisation Pdforra expressed concern about Naval Service crew safety, claiming holes had been discovered in two of the older vessels
The damage to the “flare” or custom-built bow has been attributed to a hostile Atlantic.
The vessel was travelling northwards and had just left the Blasket Sound when the superstructure was hit.
It was not holed, but the port side of the bow’s flaring was “pushed in”, a Naval Service spokesman said.
The vessel had up to 44 crew under the command of Lieut-Cdr Owen Mulowney.
A course was set for Galway, to effect temporary repairs, but it is expected the vessel will return to the Naval Service base at Haulbowline for further examination.
It is the second time the LE Roisín – one of the two most recently built ships owned by the Naval Service – has been damaged in heavy seas. Just over five years ago, in October 2004, its flaring was hit when it was en route to a Canadian submarine 100 miles west of the Donegal coast. A fire had broken out on board the HMCS Chicoutimi , claiming the life of one Canadian officer and injuring two crewmen. The LE Aoife was tasked to assist when the LE Roisín was forced to turn back.
The Naval Service said, in this incident, the watertight integrity was not affected.
A spokesman said the “flare” is designed to protect crew accommodation in heavy weather.
Four Naval Service vessels remained on sailing order over Christmas, and fishery patrols resumed on December 28th.
Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea has promised to buy two new vessels to replace ageing Naval Service vessels, but has deferred the delivery to 2012-2013, “subject to Government approval on funding”.
Three months ago, Defence Forces representative organisation Pdforra expressed concern about Naval Service crew safety, claiming holes had been discovered in two of the older vessels
I wonder was the flare damage to the same spot or do we now have another weakened section of bow to worry about.
Happy New Years lads!
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