Oil barge sinks in Venezuela, killing four people.

On September 26, 2024, a Venezuelan oil barge sank tragically in Lake Maracaibo.?The accident has caused the deaths of 4 people,?but?another 19 people were successfully rescued at the scene of the accident.

A?press released?from Venezuela's state-owned oil company?said that the barge sank in Lake Maracaibo due to adverse weather conditions. In fact, accidents involving barges transporting oil and fuel between Venezuelan ports and the Caribbean are frequent. In March this year, a barge from Venezuela capsized near Tobago, causing a large amount of fuel leak, which affected several countries in the Caribbean.

What are the ways to rescue crew members?

After the barge sinking accident, the rescue of the crew is crucial. First of all, sea rescue is essential. Divers' underwater rescue involves the use of underwater television, sonar, and other equipment for detection, the use of underwater robots for effective rescue, and then the use of lifeboats and other tools to safely send the injured to the shore. In addition, sometimes sea rescue is needed. The Coast Guard will send ships and helicopters to the scene for on-site assessment and rescue. Helicopters are especially important when shipwrecks are far away from shore, being able to quickly hoist the crew and move them to safety.

What’s more, it is important to search the coast for crew members who may be carried ashore by the current. When necessary, international cooperation can enhance search and rescue capabilities. It can establish an emergency communication network to ensure that search and rescue instructions can be notified promptly and accurately.

Why is it so difficult to rescue crew members?

Shipwrecks can occur in any sea area, which poses great challenges to rescue work.

In addition to environmental factors, time pressure, high technical requirements, and limited rescue equipment will also make it more difficult. Rescue operations usually have a golden rescue period during which the rescue success rate is high, but once this time is exceeded, the possibility of survival of the trapped people will be greatly reduced.

With the globalization of the economy, the shipping industry has thrived, leading to increasingly busy maritime transport and a growing number of vessels. Consequently, the number of crew members has also significantly increased, resulting in a rising trend in the occurrence of crew rescue incidents. The importance of professional rescue platforms has become increasingly prominent. E-PORTS has rich experience in crew rescue and has successfully handled many emergency rescue cases. In July this year, a crew member on a cargo ship on the coast of Chile in the eastern Pacific Ocean suddenly fell ill. E-PORTS quickly coordinated the rescue team through digital means and arranged for the ship to urgently berth at the nearest port. The onshore medical team was also ready. After going ashore, the injured crew was sent to the intensive care unit for scientific treatment as soon as possible.

After timely rescue, the crew member was finally out of danger and returned to China smoothly before the end of July for follow-up treatment.

If you need crew rescue in ports around the world, you can contact 400-920-8810, and E-PORTS customer service will serve you 24 hours a day!