Barge Runs Aground Near French Coast After Breaking Tow In Storm Darragh

On December 8, 2024, the 120-meter AMT Challenger barge ran aground near Sotteville-sur-Mer, France, after breaking away from its tow during Storm Darragh. The barge, which was not carrying any cargo, had been drifting in rough seas for two days despite repeated efforts to secure it.

The incident began on the evening of Friday, December 6, when the Maltese-flagged tug Boka Glacier, sheltering from the storm east of the Isle of Wight, lost its towline with the AMT Challenger barge.

The barge started drifting into British waters before eventually crossing into French territory around 11:00 p.m. on Saturday. The shipowner deployed two salvage tugs, the French Abeille Horizon and the Belgian Princess, to reattach the barge.

Operations were coordinated by the Gris-Nez Regional Operational Surveillance and Rescue Centre (CROSS) in collaboration with the British Coastguard and the Manche-North Sea maritime prefecture.

Despite several attempts in extremely poor weather conditions, including winds of up to 40 knots, efforts to secure the barge were unsuccessful.

On Sunday morning (December 8), a team of four boatmen was hoisted onto the barge to assist in re-towing, but the worsening weather conditions continued to hinder the operations.

By early Sunday afternoon, the barge was just six nautical miles off the coast of Seine-Maritime, near Veules-les-Roses and Sotteville-sur-Mer. At 1:00 p.m., it ran aground on a sandy beach about 300 meters from the cliffs.

Local authorities confirmed that no crew members were on board the barge at the time of the grounding. The barge’s ballast pumps were activated immediately to stabilise it and prevent movement during tidal changes.

Maritime officials said that the vessel posed minimal environmental risk, as it carried only small quantities of marine diesel and showed no signs of hull breaches.

Following the incident, local municipalities issued beach access bans in Sotteville-sur-Mer, Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, and Veules-les-Roses to ensure public safety.

A command post was established at Veules-les-Roses, and the national gendarmerie has been deployed to monitor the area.

Officials have urged the public to stay away from the site and avoid viewing the grounded barge from nearby cliffs, which are steep and dangerous.

A tragic incident earlier this year saw a mother and her child fall to their deaths from these cliffs.

The Dieppe public prosecutor’s office has launched a judicial investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, the shipowner’s representative arrived at the site on Sunday evening to develop a salvage plan.

However, rough weather has delayed operations to refloat the barge, and the vessel remains under close radar observation by three tugs stationed nearby.

Authorities confirmed that all necessary resources remain on alert to address pollution risks if weather conditions worsen. The Maritime Prefecture of La Manche and the North Sea informed that the rescue operations will begin as soon as conditions improve.

References: Premar Manche

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