MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

HMS Endurance, while adrift was in serious risk of grounding

<i>HMS Endurance</i> calling Pta. Arenas<br>(Photo Armada de Chile)

Early Friday the stranded Royal Navy's Ice Patrol HMS Endurance with its 113 crew and a translator arrived in Punta Arenas pulled by two Chilean tugs. She has already been docked at the Asmar ship yard where Chilean and British engineers will immediately begin with emergency repairs.

Falklands ship HMS Endurancesuffered late last Tuesday engine failure and flooding leaving her without main power and propulsion some 330 kilometres west of Punta Arenas, at the western access of the Magellan Strait, while sailing for Valparaiso. Since then the whole rescue operation has been under the command of the Chilean Navy Third Naval Zone in Punta Arenas which deployed a significant number of resources including support and fast vessels, tugs, air surveillance and a helicopter. A fast missile vessel "Casma" sailing at 30 knots arrived in Punta Arenas on Thursday with the first 22 civilians, mostly students and a crew film which had spent time on South Georgia and were returning on HMS Endurance. A Dauphin helicopter was on stand by and two tugs, "Beagle" and "Aguila 3" towed the icebreaker from the western access of the Magellan Strait to Punta Arenas. Two other vessels "Punta Arenas" and the missile fast boat "Chipana" were also in the scene. But the rescue of the powerless icebreaker was not without risks particularly during her first hours adrift. According to some of the civilians rescued and Chilean Navy sources HMS Endurancewas drifting towards a rocky sea bed in the Tamar channel but just managed to let anchors off and moor safely with ample room for the tugs' towing operation when they arrived. Two other vessels where on support during the return operation: the general services "Punta Arenas" and another missile fast boat, "Chipana"."The main problem and danger was that the Endurancewas drifting towards a rocky area and that she could end grounded. This was in the middle of the night and with over 100 people on board we had in our hands not an easy task", revealed R/A Felipe Ojeda Commander of the III Naval Zone Punta Arenas "But we are trained for these emergencies and being a high risk zone we must try to minimize those risks" he added. Anyhow "we were prepared for such a rescue operation, in bad weather conditions, but the communication with the Enduranceenabled us to achieve an excellent coordination", revealed the Chilean officer. Ojeda said the Endurancewas able to let anchors off at the right moment in a sand bank just before grounding risk in the Tamar area. "This saved the vessel and gave us room to operate the tugs". Meantime pumps to help free the engine room of water were landed on the Endurance with helicopters, "thus helping to contain the flooding". The ice patrol arrived in Punta Arenas slightly listed and although water was still coming in, more was being pumped out. When the rescue towing begun HMS Endurancehad to let its anchors off.