Sinking in the Baltic Sea
In February 2007, the container ship Ocean Caroline began sinking in the Baltic Sea. After a dramatic rescue by Polish naval helicopters, the crew received pastoral care from the AOS team in Gdynia
A young seafarer telephones home from the seafarers' centre in Gdynia after being rescued by the Polish navy. |
On Sunday 25 February 2007, the Norwegian container ship Ocean Caroline was sailing from Klaipeda in Lithuania to Hirtshals in Denmark. The ship encountered a heavy storm which reached Storm Force 8 on the Beaufort scale. Unexpectedly, the hull cracked and the Ocean Caroline began to sink at around 62 nautical miles north of Leba in Poland.
The crew worked to pump out the sea water. Although the ship was listing at an angle of 40 degrees, they managed to prevent it from sinking. The captain, a Norwegian, and two Lithuanian officers remained onboard. A Swedish rescue boat later brought them, and the Ocean Caroline, to Karlskrona in Sweden.
Meanwhile, the eight crew members escaped on a life raft. They were four Russians, two Lithuanians, one Pole and one Belorussian. A Polish naval helicopter air-lifted them to safety in Poland. Polish doctors examined the men, attending to their physical health. Then Fr Edward Pracz, AOS port chaplain in Gdynia, gave them practical help and also attended to their spiritual and emotional health.
Fr Edward stayed with the seafarers for three days. He gave them clothes, food and mobile phones which he encouraged them to use to contact their families and loved ones at home. As an act of hospitality, Fr Edward organised a dinner for the seafarers. The local ITF inspector Andrzej Kościk also attended the dinner.
The following day, the seafarers warmly thanked Fr Edward and said goodbye. They then boarded a Stena Line ferry to join their captain and officers in Karlskrona.
Fr Edward said
Being with them and their great gratitude will remain in my memory for good. Thanks to God and people who serve one another.
Fr Edward and the seafarers at dinner together |
