The officers and crew of Evergreen Line’s 1,164-TEU containership UNI-ASPIRE successfully rescued a Korean seafarer in the South China Sea just south of Hong Kong on November 22.
UNI-ASPIRE received an emergency call from HKMRCC (Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) at 6 a.m. requesting assistance in the rescue operation while the containership was on route from Taichung to Laem Chabang. The search for missing crewmembers was launched in response to a distress call from the sinking BRIGHT RUBY.
UNI-ASPIRE responded with prompt action and successfully rescued the chief officer of the distressed cargo ship at about 10 am. Lee Sang Hun, the Korean seafarer, received good care on board UNI-ASPIRE as the ship continued its voyage to Laem Chabang. The Korean Consulate in Thailand then took over care of Mr. Lee and arranged to send him home.
It has been reported that 6 crewmembers remain missing and 15 were rescued from the 1987-built BRIGHT RUBY. Other ships that managed to rescue seamen in the operation included the Hong Kong-registered JIN GUANG LING (rescuing 10 seamen), the Greek-owned COMMON SPIRIT (rescuing 2 seamen), the Liberian-flagged CAP NORTE (rescuing 1 seaman) and Singaporean MAERSK CUNENE (rescuing 1 seaman).
Just last year on June 16, 2010, the crew of Evergreen Line’s 1,618-TEU UNI-PACIFIC bravely performed a lifesaving mission off Jakarta and rescued seven Indonesian seamen from stormy seas.
“Our ships’ crews are proud and responsible members of the brotherhood of the sea and will always respond to the vessels in distress,” Evergreen said in a statement.
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World Maritime News Staff, November 29, 2011