MY Titanic
Encyclopedia
The motor yacht Titanic is a 1,900-tonne yacht that was formerly the Japanese Government's research/fishing vessel Toko Maru and later Kelso. In March 2010, she developed a leak while sailing in the Caribbean
. Her rescue by the United States Coast Guard
was co-ordinated from the United Kingdom
.
as Toko Maru. In 1996, she was sold to Premier Fishing, South Africa
and renamed Kelso. In 2009, she was sold to Bill Schlagel of California
who intended to convert her into a luxury motor yacht, and renamed her Titanic. On 16 August 2009, Titanic visited St Helena where it was discovered that she was not displaying her name. The vessel's name was not on shipping registers either. It was established that the vessel was bona fide
. She departed the next day.
Titanic is now owned by White Star Line Ltd. On 31 March 2010, Titanic developed a leak while on a voyage from Grenada
to Puerto Rico
where she was to undergo a refit. A skeleton crew of three people were on board. Water in the engine room reached a depth exceeding 8 feet (2.44 m). Crew member Mark Corbett used the yacht's satellite phone to call his best friend Alex Evans' mobile phone. Evans, a lifeboatman, received the call while in a DIY shop in Aberystwyth
, Wales
. He took down details including the position of the ship, which was 108 nautical miles (200 km) southeast of St Croix, (at 16°17.276′N 63°44.239′W), writing the details on a till receipt. Evans then went to the local RNLI lifeboat station and telephoned the Coastguard at Milford Haven
and asked to be put through to the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) at Falmouth
from where the rescue was co-ordinated at a distance of over 4000 miles (6,437.4 km).
The MRCC contacted the United States Coast Guard
at Portsmouth, Virginia
who relayed a message to colleagues at San Juan, Puerto Rico
. A French
aircraft was sent to search for Titanic. A United States Coast Guard
helicopter was despatched from CGAS Borinquem
, Puerto Rico. The helicopter landed a salvage pump on board the yacht, which was later taken under tow by . The tow was later taken over by the tug
Mitchel. The yacht was taken to Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands
; none of the crew were injured despite their ordeal.
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. Her rescue by the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
was co-ordinated from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Description
Originally built in 1971, Titanic is a former research/fishing boat. She is 78.64 metre long, with a beam of 11 metre and a depth of 8.01 metre. She is powered by four Niigata 6MQG31EZ diesel engines. and displaces 1,900 tonnes. Her IMO Number is 7338561.History
The ship was built in 1971 by Hayashikane Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, NagasakiNagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
as Toko Maru. In 1996, she was sold to Premier Fishing, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and renamed Kelso. In 2009, she was sold to Bill Schlagel of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
who intended to convert her into a luxury motor yacht, and renamed her Titanic. On 16 August 2009, Titanic visited St Helena where it was discovered that she was not displaying her name. The vessel's name was not on shipping registers either. It was established that the vessel was bona fide
Bona Fide
Bona Fide is a studio album from rock band Wishbone Ash. It is the first studio album in six years and is the only studio album to feature guitarist Ben Granfelt...
. She departed the next day.
Titanic is now owned by White Star Line Ltd. On 31 March 2010, Titanic developed a leak while on a voyage from Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
where she was to undergo a refit. A skeleton crew of three people were on board. Water in the engine room reached a depth exceeding 8 feet (2.44 m). Crew member Mark Corbett used the yacht's satellite phone to call his best friend Alex Evans' mobile phone. Evans, a lifeboatman, received the call while in a DIY shop in Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. He took down details including the position of the ship, which was 108 nautical miles (200 km) southeast of St Croix, (at 16°17.276′N 63°44.239′W), writing the details on a till receipt. Evans then went to the local RNLI lifeboat station and telephoned the Coastguard at Milford Haven
Milford Haven
Milford Haven is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name...
and asked to be put through to the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) at Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
from where the rescue was co-ordinated at a distance of over 4000 miles (6,437.4 km).
The MRCC contacted the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
at Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
who relayed a message to colleagues at San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. A French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
aircraft was sent to search for Titanic. A United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
helicopter was despatched from CGAS Borinquem
Ramey Air Force Base
Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. In addition to a small on-site Air Force detachment, and occasional operations by the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, a portion of the former Air Force Base is operated by the United States Coast Guard as Coast...
, Puerto Rico. The helicopter landed a salvage pump on board the yacht, which was later taken under tow by . The tow was later taken over by the tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
Mitchel. The yacht was taken to Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
; none of the crew were injured despite their ordeal.