Image Credits: French Navy’s Atlantic Maritime Prefecture

In November, the Tanker Larus suffered a mechanical failure while navigating near Oissant Island. The vessel altered its course towards the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, where it was to await a tugboat that would escort it to a shipyard in Estonia for necessary maintenance and fixes.

Nevertheless, the looming Storm Durragh impeded the tug’s arrival, leaving the tanker vulnerable to the turbulent seas and harsh conditions.

By 1600 hours on Sunday, with the weather worsening, the tanker’s crew alerted the French rescue coordination center in Corsen. They reported that the tanker’s anchor was not holding and that it was steadily drifting towards the shore.

In response, the French Navy’s Atlantic Maritime Prefecture dispatched the rescue tug Abeille Bourbon and also requested the assistance of another tug located at the Port of St. Malo, which was significantly nearer to the tanker’s location. Despite this, the second tug was forced to retreat due to the treacherous weather conditions.

At 2345 hours, the Abeille Bourbon arrived at the location but encountered difficulties in towing the tanker. Subsequently, the maritime prefecture sent its emergency response team via helicopter, which deposited them onto the tanker’s deck. By 0430 on Sunday morning, they had successfully initiated a tow.

The tug then started to pull the tanker towards the port in Brest. Throughout the operation, the tanker’s 13 crew members stayed aboard, with a helicopter on standby to provide evacuation or support if necessary during the towing process. The tanker has now been safely anchored in Brest’s harbor.