PORTUGUESE ILL-FATED TUGBOAT "CHARNECA"

O rebocador CHARNECA atracado à Doca 1 - Cais Sul em 1985 / (c) F. Cabral, Porto /.

The Portuguese tugboat CHARNECA; 34,9m/ 320gt; 1982 completed by Lisnave Shipyard, Lisbon, for its own service.

CHARNECA outbound from Lisbon together with her sister PALENÇA, in order to give assistance to the East German m/v MANSFELD, 152m/8.609gt, which caught fire in a gale, but after several efforts they have no success due heavy seas and both tugboats decided to make Leixões harbour for shelter, where she arrived in the roads with many technical problems in the middle of a large and violent sea storm. While CHARNECA was much closed with the Leixões entrance she received the impact of heavy waves which dismantled partly her bridge and consequently electricity power ended over making steer/engine failed and crew went to the life-raft. Meanwhile she was adrift and hit against the harbour breakwater by the strength of the waves, where her hull was holed and sank on 16/02/1986 evening. From eight men on board only one was saved in the Matosinhos beach. MANSFELD was abandoned and went ashore at Leirosa Beach, south of Figueira da Foz, however the crew was rescued by a West German vessel.

(Posted in the SHIPS NOSTALGIA)