Fire on coaster in River Humber
Engine room fire extinguished, crew safe...

The fire in the engine room of the cargo ship SALINE has now been extinguished, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said today.

The vessel, carrying Bauxite, sent a Mayday call out at 03.34hrs this morning. Humber Coastguard received the call and co-ordinated the emergency response which involved the Humber Lifeboat and a RAF helicopter from Leconfield which flew in the MIRG team.

The MIRG team are now being taken ashore to Immingham by the Humber Lifeboat. The vessel SALINE, with its seven crew on-board is now under tow to Albert Dock, Hull by the port's fire tug LADY STEPHANIE and tug SWITZER MOIRA.

Mike Puplett Watch Manager at Humber Coastguard said:
"The joint response from HM Coastguard, Humberside Fire and Rescue, the RNLI, the RAF and the crew has led to this fire being extinguished without loss of life or injury."

The vessel only has auxiliary power as a result of the fire and is now being towed in to port. Surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are being kept up-to-date with its progress.

The 1990 grt coaster is managed by Netherland's firm Vertom and was built in 1993.