Ramsgate and Dover RNLI crews, a Coastguard helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft and Belgium Coast Guard helicopter were called to a second fire on the Grande Brasile cargo ship last night {February 18}.
The ship, which is about 15 miles off the Ramsgate coast, initially issued a Mayday call at around 9.35am after discovering the fire on one of the decks.
The ship was headed to Antwerp in Belgium from Le Havre in France.
Ramsgate’s all-weather Diamond Jubilee and the Dover lifeboat were launched alongside vessels from France and Belgium.
On-board fire-suppression measures were activated to deal with the incident and the lifeboats were stood down.
But a second report of a fire was made at about 4.25pm and that evening a second operation to evacuate the crew was launched.
A HM Coastguard spokesperson said: “The crew evacuated onto the {Grande Brasile’s} lifeboat at 10pm, about 12 nautical miles off Ramsgate, and were picked up by a tug that had been assisting.
“A HM Coastguard helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft were sent as well as a Belgium Coast Guard helicopter and the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboats from Dover and Ramsgate.
“The crew were transferred from the tug onto the Ramsgate lifeboat and taken to Ramsgate where they were met by the South East Coast Ambulance Service.
“Deal, Folkestone, Langdon and Margate Coastguard Rescue Teams attended as well as Kent Fire and Rescue Service and UK Border Force.
“The crew are accounted for and no injuries have been reported.”
The 25-year-old, Malta registered vessel is understood to have been carrying 28 crew. Sea conditions were tough at 23 knots and very rough seas, making transfers from the ship’s lifeboat to the RNLI challenging.
Paramedics checked the crew on arrival in Ramsgate as they were exhausted after fire fighting for hours.
The boat is still on fire and tugs are still fighting the flames using their fire pumps directed from overhead by the Coast Guard fixed wing plane.
The HM Coastguard spokesperson added: “ Salvage of the vessel is the responsibility of the owner, in consultation with the Secretary of State’s Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP).”
Eagerly awaiting for someone to link these fires with one that occurred on Ramsgate seafront over a quarter of a century ago.