That sinking feeling

30^th November 1985 Saturday

I was at home Teban Gardens Jurong in the Western part of Singapore when at about 9.10 pm the phone rang, I answered and the voice at the other end sounded terribly excited. The caller was my manager Jimmy and his first information was that our vessel mv.’Petr Lebedev’ had collided with another vessel and that I was to go immediately to investigate. The first thing I did was to contact our launch contractor to stand-by a fast boat for the trip and that I would be down in 45 minutes time. On my way I stopped at office to pick up some documents and proceed to Clifford Pier

For your information, Clifford Pier is the waterfront ferry terminal in the center of the city, it is one of the designated landing place for crew coming to shore. The Customs and the Pier Master had their offices and crew on shore- leave are subjected to scrutiny for dutiable or prohibited goods or items.

My arrival was timely it co-incite with the arrival of the Police “PX” class patrol boat which was approaching the Pier Landing with the siren wailing loudly signaling to make way for them. On board were 3 Russians, one apparently with head injury had a bandage wrapped around his head and the other two with lesser injury accompanied him. When the Police patrol boat pulled alongside, men alighted followed by the Marine Police sergeant, an ambulance party from the Fire Department was already standing-by waiting to receive them. I intercepted them to find out from the sergeant and learned that the crew-member with head injury was the vessel’s cook. The other was the first officer and another one was not identified. All were from our vessel “Petr Lebedev

At that moment one of our Directors Vorontsov arrived together with his wife, he was followed by my colleague named Charlie, a boarding officer. Owing to circumstances we had to separate so our Director went along with the 3 crew-members to the Singapore General Hospital. Another boarding officer, Victor was asked to assist them for the usual admission formality. In such case we have to provide a letter of guarantee to cover for the medical treatment and hospitalization. From information obtained from the Marine Police indicated that our vessel ‘Petr Lebedev’ had sustained very serious damage and listing badly to starboard; about to capsize.

However we learned that most of the crew had been evacuated to the sister vessel named ‘Sergei Vavilov’. Charlie and myself left Clifford Pier in our fast service launch in search of the two vessels at the Eastern Working Anchorage. The night had been pitched dark and we had some difficulties in figuring out where the position of our two vessels.

After a while we found the first vessel, it was “Sergei Vavilov” laid anchored in position reference to Grid No. 5315-A. We noted she had sustained superficial damage by way of the bow, soft nose and stem. More damage to portside bulwark, a gapping hole exposing the internal with the anchor-stock bent and dangling low just above the water. We circled one round to make a thorough inspection on other parts of the vessel, before boarding up to see the Master. The Captain of mv “Sergei Vavilov” was the older man and he welcome us on-board, he had prepared the necessary documents, reports and handed to us. He appeared calm and composed, he had received the un-essential crew from the sister ship “Petr Lebedev” for safety reason.

Having finished our meeting, we enquired about the other vessel and ask for direction. He informed us that the sister ship was some distance astern so we left his ship in search of ‘Petr Lebedev’. We found her some and she had a gapping hole about 3 meter square right at mid-ship starboard side puncturing the hull just below the waterline. It had her subjected to flooding the entire engine-room and fortunately owing to design of compartmentation it could be contained. In exercising damage control and prevention the spread of flooding to other compartments; the engine-room was sealed off.

Tug “Spravedlivy” alongside “Petr Lebedev”

Sketch ‘Petr Lebedev’ listing to starboard-side.

Above the waterline more serious damage sustained to the starboard side accommodation up to the boat- deck also damaging the lifeboat and it’s davits. one large ocean-going Russian Salvage tug with red superstructure and black hull named ‘Spravedlivyi’ was lashed to her port-side and held from capsizing and sinking.

At the bridge-wing of the tug stood a lean figure of the Master, he was busy directing the salvage operation. The team of experience salvage crew and divers were immediately on the job, preparing several pumps and rolls of hoses and sending them down to the flooded engine-room. Working feverishly to control the water that had knocked out the main engine and the auxiliary generators the source of electricity and power. Obviously the damaged was considered very serious because without power the vessel,crippled and dead on water.

Starboard-side badly damaged

Several small boats from the Port Authority and Marine Police surrounded the two crippled vessels. A “ Selco” salvage tug, Port Authority fireboat were anchored close and appeared to be on standby. The badly damaged “Petr Lebedev” had taken so much water that made her draught 'deep' listing dangerously. So low that her free-board became level with our small boat and we could stepped over with ease.

At the same time came on board was the Port Inspector, Mahmud and an Inspector from the Marine Police. The time was 1130 pm the deck was in a mess with fire-hoses running criss-cross all over the place obstructing our passage as we had to cross over several making our way to bridge. We took the stairs to the bridge and found the Master, he was the younger captain and he looked worried and troubled, however he was pleased to see us. We discuss concerning the situation and the necessary measures that required immediate attention. Meantime the Marine Police needed a statement from the Master, the same demand from the Port Inspector. We assured them it would be forth-coming as soon as situation had improved. What we meant when our vessel came out of danger.

The Port Inspector also offered if any assistance required but both Masters from the crippled vessel and the tug rejected as the situation has more or less under control. By then both the Police and the Port Inspectors had left the vessel and with an advice to call them should the situation change for the worst and require their assistance. Charlie and I had remained onboard to give moral support to the Master in that moment of difficulties and for sake of maintaining communication with the Authorities.

More pumps were brought into usage to control the flooding in the engine-room which had knocked out the power to provide electricity. The whole vessel was plunged in total darkness. And power for lighting and working of pumps were solely drawn from the salvage tug.

Collision-mat covered the damaged starboard side mid-ship.

As accordingly the divers had been busy putting in place the “collision mat” instantly, instead of trying to construct a wooden wall which would have taken much time and efforts. So the choice to use the ‘collision mat’ as a temporary measure was a good decision. To cover the punctured hull immediate and quickly to arrest the flooding. The collision mat is a double layer large square canvas reinforced with wire-mesh in between. Two lowering wires held the top-ends through the grommet and secured to the main deck. Meantime two hogging wires held the bottom-ends and divers had to run it underneath the hull to the other side (port-side). Having positioned the collision-mat over the damaged hull below waterline, the hogging lines are tightened to taut the mat. When properly tightened it prevented water from sipping through into the engine room.

From the sky-light opening above we could see the flooded engine-room covered by a top layer of oil. The thought that ran through my mind was that should the vessel sink we would be in a big soup as oil pollution is taken as a very serious matter. Meantime I asked Charlie to go home to rest but to send the boat back with packet-meal. After mid-night I was very hungry and went to the Captain’s cabin, there was sufficient light penetrating through the window to enable to see what you ate. The situation by then was very un-stable for we had a 9-10 degree list to starboard and it was natural for me to feel un-easy and afraid.

The captain of “Petr Lebedev”

The symptoms were all there, the vessel laid dead in the water, in total darkness, the deck slanting in a situation likely to capsize. That sinking feeling sent the shivers running right down the entire length of my spine. My knees knocking each other and from my feet I felt the chilling coldness. You can imagine that I had the fastest meal in my whole life, swallowed down everything in the shortest record time. Having finished my meal I ran out of the enclosed cabin to the openness of the deck space; I felt more relief. there. At least there I was in a better position to exercise judgment in assessing the situation and anticipate my next move. Of course I did not intend to be caught trapped in the cabin should the vessel capsize and sink.

At about 0300 hours the Port Authority boat named the “Commander” returned and the inspector came on board once again. He offered assistance but we declined for more or less by then our salvage team have contained the problem. However the inspector warned us to exercise all precaution to prevent any oil spillage that would cause pollution. After a short while he left us and returned to his boat that departed into the darkness.

The good news was that the worse was over; all of us felt greatly relief and so by morning I was able to leave the vessel. I returned to office for the next assignment to look for a shipyard to accept the crippled “Petr Lebedev”. Finally we found Keppel Shipyard whose dry-dock was immediately available to accept our vessel. Finally she was towed into the main Keppel Shipyard at Telok Blangah for major repairs to restore her back to seaworthiness status.

For information sake, both vessels were Research Ships, built in 1957 at Wartsila Yard, Turku. The gross tonnage 3,642 tons with length of 94.2m and driven by a 2,400hp engine that gave a speed of 13.5 knots.

mv “Petr Lebedev” alongside Keppel Shipyard

Keppel workers patch-up the damage starboard hull

Later a full board of enquiry followed to look into the incident on how the two vessels equipped with modern navigational aid could have collided into

each other when sailing out that night. I heard the result was that the old master spared and the younger one blamed for the collision.

It had been an exciting and a good experience which I cannot never forget.