All 18 crew members have been safely evacuated following a collision between two ships in the Netherlands Monday during Storm Corrie, the Dutch coast guard said.
Freighter Julietta D collided with oil tanker Pechora Star approximately 20 miles west of the Dutch port city of IJmuiden. The crash led to heavy damage to the freighter, caused by the anchor of Julietta D breaking loose, the coast guard told the Associated Press.
The freighter lost its rudder in the crash, preventing it from steering and causing it to take in water, the coast guard said. The Pechora Star also suffered damage, but it is not as severe, so the tanker can continue its voyage.
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The damage on the freighter “pose[d] direct dangers for the 18 crew members on board,” Royal Dutch Lifeboat Company spokesman, Edward Zwitser, told the Associated Press.
The rescue operation was a joint effort from the Netherlands Coast Guard and the neighboring country of Belgium, which sent a helicopter to help with the evacuation. A total of three helicopters were used, with the operation being made more difficult due to the heavy winds from the storm.
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The collision occurred during a period of heavy storming in Northern Europe. Storm Corrie, the current storm attacking the northern part of the continent, has left thousands of homes without power. The Netherlands was hit hard by the storm Monday morning, causing trees to be uprooted, according to the Associated Press.
Storm Corrie followed Storm Malik, which left at least four dead over the weekend, including a 9-year-old boy and a 78-year-old woman.
