Milan, 23 Mar (LaPresse) – Last night around 11pm the scientific research vessel Fugro Mercator, flying the Bahamian flag and engaged in seabed monitoring operations, ran aground on the reef of the Enfola promontory, near Portoferraio. This was announced by the Coast Guard, explaining that, according to an initial reconstruction, the 42-metre-long vessel, in seeking shelter from the bad weather, came too close to the coast, colliding with the shallow seabed and grounding along the rocky cliff in the area. The accident resulted in water entering the hull, initially contained by the crew, but which subsequently damaged part of the engines, causing a total blackout of the on-board equipment. During the night, under the coordination of the Livorno Maritime Directorate, the CP 805 patrol boat of the Portoferraio Harbour Office intervened, rescuing the crew members and technical and scientific personnel, 11 people in all of different nationalities, who are currently in good health.
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