Update: All crew members rescued from M/V Pasha Bulker

UPDATE: Hunter’s Best informs us that all 22 people have been evacuated from the ship:

EMERGENCY crews have successfully airlifted 22 people from a coal ship that ran aground off Newcastle, New South Wales, in a dramatic rescue described as being “10 out of 10” for difficulty today.

Read their excellent local coverage: HERE

Bloomberg has more of the story:

The grounding of the Pasha Bulker, which is registered in Panama, raises concerns about the conditions of so-called flag of convenience ships off Newcastle, the International Transport Workers Federation said in a separate e-mailed statement. The ship is flagged by Wealth Line Inc. for the Japanese shipping line Sansho Kaiun Co., Dean Summers, national coordinator of the federation, said in the statement.

The ship’s crew includes 18 Filipinos and two Koreans, the federation said.

Any spill of fuel from the ship could result in an “environmental disaster” for the Newcastle region, Cate Faehrmann, executive director of the Nature Conservation Council, said in a separate statement.

Traces of fuel have started to wash up on the beach at Newcastle, the Herald reported.

Coal Ship Grounded at Newcastle as Gales Hit Coast

John Konrad is a USCG licensed Master Mariner of Unlimited Tonnage currently working as Chief Mate aboard a 835′ ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Since graduating from SUNY Maritime College he has sailed in 4 of the worlds oceans and reports from his ship via satellite.

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