Sinking in the Baltic Sea
In February 2007, the container
ship Ocean Caroline began sinking in the Baltic Sea. After a
dramatic rescue by Polish naval helicopters, the crew
received pastoral care from the AOS team in Gdynia.
 On
Sunday 25 February 2007, the Norwegian container ship Ocean
Caroline was sailing from Klaipeda in Lithuania to Hirtshals
in Denmark. The ship encountered a heavy storm which reached
Storm Force 8 on the Beaufort scale. Unexpectedly, the hull
cracked and the Ocean Caroline began to sink at around 62
nautical miles north of Leba in Poland.
The crew worked to pump out the sea water. Although the
ship was listing at an angle of 40 degrees, they managed to
prevent it from sinking. The captain, a Norwegian, and two
Lithuanian officers remained onboard. A Swedish rescue boat
later brought them, and the Ocean Caroline, to Karlskrona in
Sweden.
Meanwhile, the eight crew members escaped on a life raft.
They were four Russians, two Lithuanians, one Polish and one
Belorussian. A Polish naval helicopter air-lifted them to
safety in Poland. Polish doctors examined the men, attending
to their physical health. Then Fr Edward Pracz, AOS port
chaplain in Gdynia, gave them practical help and also
attended to their spiritual and emotional health.
 Fr
Edward stayed with the seafarers for three days. He gave
them clothes, food and mobile phones which he encouraged
them to use to contact their families and loved ones at
home. As an act of hospitality, Fr Edward organised a dinner
for the seafarers. The local ITF inspector Andrzej Kościk
also attended the dinner.
The following day, the seafarers warmly thanked Fr Edward
and said goodbye. They then boarded a Stena Line ferry to
join their captain and officers in Karlskrona.
Fr Edward said Being with
them and their great gratitude will remain in my memory for
good. Thanks to God and people who serve one another.
Photograph: (1) A young seafarer telephones home from
the seafarers' centre in Gdynia after being rescued by the
Polish navy. (2) Fr Edward and the seafarers at dinner
together |