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☆ A Superyacht Gave a Lifeline to 100 Migrants Thrown Into the Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Jason Horowitz | Matina Stevis-Gridneff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The superyacht Mayan Queen IV was sailing smoothly in clear weather through the dark and calm Mediterranean in the early hours of June 14 when it received a call about a migrant ship in distress four nautical miles away. About 20 minutes later, shortly before 3 a.m., the towering $175-million yacht, owned by the family of a Mexican silver magnate, arrived at the scene. All the four-person crew could see were the lights of a Greek Coast Guard vessel scanning the water’s inky surface. “Horrible,” said the Mayan Queen’s captain, Richard Kirkby, who described the sea as “pitch black” on that nearly moonless night. As many as 650 men, women and children drowned.

Persons: IV, ”, Richard Kirkby Organizations: Greek Coast Guard Locations: Mexican, Monaco, Italy

The OceanGate Expeditions submersible that went missing with five people aboard while trying to visit the site of the Titanic wreckage has only 41 hours or less of oxygen left, U.S. Coast Guard officials said Tuesday. Rescuers are searching an area of ocean that is "larger than the state of Connecticut" for the Titan submersible, Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick said at a news briefing Tuesday. The submersible went missing Sunday, less than two hours into its dive about 900 nautical miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, is on board the vessel. OceanGate began offering trips on the submersible, whose passengers pay $250,000 apiece, in 2021.

Persons: Jamie Frederick, Frederick, Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood, Suleman, OceanGate Organizations: Expeditions, U.S . Coast Guard, Titan, Coast Guard, Stockton Rush, OceanGate Expeditions, Action Aviation Locations: U.S, Connecticut, Cape Cod , Massachusetts

☆ Submersible touring Titanic wreckage: A challenging search in remote waters intensifies for the vessel
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Nouran Salahieh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —A multi-agency search is intensifying for a submersible that went missing with five people on board while touring the wreckage of the Titanic, as crews comb through choppy, remote waters in low visibility. “It is a challenge to conduct a search in that remote area,” Mauger said during a news briefing. However, British businessman Hamish Harding is one of the people on the submersible, according to a social media post by the company he owns, Action Aviation. What we know about the vessel and expeditionAn undated photo of the OceanGate Titan vessel. The Coast Guard’s current focus is on locating the vessel, Mauger said.

Persons: John Mauger, ” Mauger, ” Crews, Mauger, “, Hamish Harding, Harding, ” Harding, Larry Daley, Paul, Henri Nargeolet, Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood, Sulaiman Dawood, Dawood, weren’t, ”, Mi’sel Joe, ” Rory Golden, ” Golden, Golden, Bobbie Scholley, ” Scholley, Scholley Organizations: CNN, Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Air Force, US Coast Guard, Canadian Armed Forces, OceanGate Expeditions, Horizon Maritime, Action Aviation, CTV, CBC News, Expeditions, “, Maritime Horizon Services, Facebook, US Navy Locations: Cape Cod, British, St, Pakistan, John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, ”

The United States Coast Guard will hold a news conference at 4:30 p.m. ET in Boston on the search for the missing submersible near the Titanic wreckage. Rear Admiral John Mauger, Commander of the First Coast Guard District is expected to lead the briefing. The trip begins with a 400-nautical-mile journey to the wreck site, according to the tour operator. There, up to five people board the submersible named “Titan” and descend to the bottom of the ocean.

Persons: John Mauger Organizations: United States Coast Guard, Coast Guard, Polar, First Coast Guard Locations: Boston, Canadian, Cape Cod, St, John’s, Newfoundland, Canada

☆ Coast Guard searches for 5-person crew aboard submersible that went missing on dive to Titanic wreck
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Phil Mccausland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a missing Canadian research submersible that disappeared on Sunday after it went to explore the wreck of the Titanic. The 21-foot submersible and its five-person crew, from the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince, started a dive on Sunday morning, according to the Coast Guard. The missing submersible was part of an OceanGate Expeditions tour exploring the Titanic wreckage, located 900 nautical miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He said the Coast Guard immediately launched a surface and aerial search to find or recover the submersible and any survivors. Mauger added at the press conference that the Coast Guard is working to expand its capabilities to include an underwater search as well.

Persons: John Mauger, Mauger, Hamish Harding, Harding, OceanGate, OceanGate's, James Cameron Organizations: U.S . Coast Guard, Coast Guard, Expeditions, NBC, Action Aviation, Sunday, New York National Guard, Canadian Coast Guard, Poseidon, New York Times Locations: Canadian, Cape Cod , Massachusetts, OceanGate, Newfoundland, Canada

☆ OceanGate Expeditions: What we know about the Titanic-exploring submersible missing off Newfoundland coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The submersible was part of an eight-day journey conducted by OceanGate Expeditions. It’s still not clear what happened to the submersible, why it lost contact, and how close to the Titanic it was when it went missing. According to OceanGate, Titan is a 23,000-pound submersible made of carbon fiber and titanium. On Pogue’s trip, communications broke down during a dive and the submersible was lost for over two hours, he said. The US Coast Guard is coordinating the search with the US Navy, the Canadian Coast Guard and the Canadian military.

Persons: It’s, ”, John Mauger, Hamish Harding, Hamish, Harding, ” Hamish Harding, Facebook Harding, Paul, Henri, P.H, Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood, Sulaiman Dawood, Dawood, Roger Chapman, Roger Mallinson, OceanGate, …, David Pogue, CNN Thomas Shugart, didn’t bode, haven’t, they’d Organizations: CNN, Titan, OceanGate Expeditions, United Arab Emirates, Action Aviation, SETI Institute, Dawood Hercules Corporation, Dawood, Authorities, Coast Guard, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, CBS, Titanic, US, Center, New, New American Security, US Coast Guard, US Navy, Canadian Coast Guard, Canadian, US Air, Wing, Navy Locations: United States, St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, Cape Cod , Massachusetts, British, Pakistani, California, New American

CNN —The US Coast Guard launched a search and rescue operation for a submersible with five people on board that went missing during an expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic. In an interview with Fox News, First District Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger said the Coast Guard is “bringing all assets to bear” in search of the missing submersible. Person on expedition posted photosOne of the individuals on the missing submersible posted photos of it on Sunday before its launch. From InstagramOne of the individuals on the missing sub posted photos of it on Sunday before its launch. “That is where our focus is right now.”He asked people not to ask for the names of the people on the missing sub or speculate.

Persons: Samantha Corcoran, “, ”, Corcoran, John Mauger, Jacques Cousteau’s, OceanGate, Person, ” Rory Golden, Golden, “ … Organizations: CNN, US Coast Guard, Polar, Coast Guard, Oceangate Expeditions, RCC Halifax, Canadian Coast Guard, Fox News, Guard, NOAA, Sunday, Facebook Locations: Newfoundland, Canada, St, John’s

☆ Flying the F-35 stealth fighter can leave pilots looking 'like they are 100 years old,' says test pilot
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

F-35 test pilots described how intense it is to fly the aircraft, The Jerusalem Post reported. "After some training, pilots come out looking like they are 100 years old," another test pilot said. Tony "Brick" Wilson, an F-35 test pilot for the American defense company who formerly served in the US Navy, described the "g-forces" — or gravitational force — must deal with when flying the hi-tech US fighter jets. Monessa "Siren" Balzhiser, another F-35 test pilot for the company, also addressed "g-forces" in the discussion. The F-16 has three separate screens and displays, with each screen tied to a specific sensor," she said, per The Jerusalem Post.

Persons: Lockheed Martin webinar, —, Lockheed Martin, Tony, Wilson, Balzhiser Organizations: Jerusalem Post, Lockheed, Service, US Navy, Aircraft, US Air Force, Russian, AIM Locations: Jerusalem, Russia, Ukraine

At least 78 people died when the fishing vessel flipped and capsized in international waters south-west of Greece early on Wednesday. A migrant charity says a person they were in contact with on the boat said it was in distress, but Greek authorities say it repeatedly refused offers of help. Passengers paid $4,500 for passage to Italy, the two Greek sources said. Aerial photos of the vessel taken by the Greek coastguard hours before the tragedy unfolded showed a vessel crammed with people on its exposed decks. When the boat reported engine failure and stalled, a coastguard vessel shadowing them came closer.

Persons: Stelios Misinas, Nikos Alexiou, Adriana Tidona, Tidona, Karolina Tagaris, Michele Kambas, Alex Richardson Organizations: Hellenic Coast Guard, REUTERS, Greek coastguard, . Authorities, Greece's coastguard, EU, Amnesty International, coastguard, Thomson Locations: Greece, Kalamata, Stelios Misinas KALAMATA, LIBYA, Tobruk, Libya, Italy

CNN —At least 79 people died after a migrant boat carrying hundreds of people sank off the Greek coast in the early hours of Wednesday, that country’s Coast Guard said, as fears mount that there could be more fatalities. Those on board said the captain left the vessel three hours after the first distress call was made and passengers were in need of food and water, accoring to Alarm Phone. A merchant vessel is said to have provided the boat with water at around 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday evening. The last time Alarm Phone was able to contact the boat was just before 1 a.m. local time on Wednesday morning. According to Alarm Phone, all that could be heard was “Hello my friend… The ship you send is…” before the call cut off.

Persons: Thanasis Vasilopoulos, “, ”, Panagiotis Nikas, Antonio Guterres, I’ve, …, Katernina Sakellaropoulou, ” Vasilopoulus Organizations: CNN, Coast Guard, ” Kalamata, AP Migrants, Reuters, Organization for Migration, UN, Twitter, ERT, AP, European Union, UNHCR Locations: Kalamata, “, www.argolikeseidhseis.gr, Eurokinissi, State, Tobruk, Libya, Pylos, Peloponnese, Italy, Greece, East, Asia, Africa, Europe

☆ An electric cruise ship with gigantic solar sails is set to launch in 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Adventure cruise company Hurtigruten Norway today revealed plans for a zero-emissions electric cruise ship with retractable sails covered in solar panels, which is due to set sail in 2030. The zero-emissions ship's sails will retract so that the ship can pass under bridges, as shown here in a rendering. This has led to a new wave of designs for eco-friendly sailing vessels, from the transatlantic car carrier Oceanbird and various cargo ships with retractable sails, to Oceanco’s Black Pearl superyacht and Chantiers de Atlanique’s cruise ship with folding solid sails. Hurtigruten Norway has long touted sustainable shipping. In 2019, it launched the world’s first hybrid, battery-supported cruise ship and is currently in the process of converting the rest of its expedition fleet to hybrid battery power.

Persons: Hedda Felin, ”, Gerry Larsson, Fedde, Larsson, Pearl superyacht Organizations: CNN, Hurtigruten, International Maritime Organization, UN Locations: Norway, Norwegian, Oslo, Hurtigruten Norway, “

☆ At the height of the Cold War, the US Navy used a historic round-the-world operation to show off its new nuclear force
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

On July 31, 1964, three US Navy ships set off on a mission to sail around the world. Construction began on USS Long Beach in 1957 and it entered service in 1961, becoming the world's first nuclear-powered surface warship. USS Bainbridge, front, and USS Long Beach sail behind USS Enterprise in 1964. USS Bainbridge sails behind USS Enterprise during Operation Sea Orbit in August 1964. Nuclear navyNuclear-powered guided-missile cruisers USS California, USS South Carolina, USS Virginia, USS Texas, USS Mississippi, and USS Arkansas in February 1981.

Persons: —, Bainbridge —, Bob Haswell, US Navy Long, SCANFAR, Bainbridge, Theodore Roosevelt's Great, Bernard Strean, USS Bainbridge, PH1 Anthony A, Alleyne Afterward, Strean, Nimitz, Admiral Nakhimov, Pyotr Velikiy Organizations: US Navy, Service, USS Enterprise, US, Daily, Nautilus, Navy, RIM, Long, Westinghouse, Enterprise, Fleet, Nuclear, USS Locations: Mallorca, Long, —, Bainbridge, Karachi, India, Indonesia, Australia, Fremantle, Long Beach, Melbourne, Sydney, USS, Wellington, Cape Horn, Rio de Janeiro, Charleston, Norfolk, Perth, San Juan, California, USS South Carolina, USS Virginia, USS Texas, USS Mississippi, USS Arkansas, Soviet, Kirov

☆ Factbox: What are the deals on Ukraine, Russia grain exports?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

UKRAINE BLACK SEA GRAIN EXPORT DEALBrokered by the United Nations and Turkey, the deal has so far allowed Ukraine to safely export more than 30 million tonnes of grain from several of its Black Sea ports. Under the deal:- Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations set up a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul, staffed by officials from each party. - Ukraine can safely export grain and related foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia, from the ports of Odesa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny. Under the memorandum of understanding:- Russia agreed to continue commercial supplies of food and fertilizers and inform the U.N. of any impediments to such exports, including fertilizer raw materials like ammonia. Russia agreed to facilitate the unimpeded export of food, sunflower oil and fertilizers from Ukrainian-controlled Black Sea ports.

☆ I made $500,000 in revenue last year renting out my 2 boats. Here's how I quit my corporate job and turned this into my full-time gig.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Molly O'Brien | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

JP Mancini quit his corporate job in 2021 and took his boat-chartering side hustle full time. In 2022, through all my rental platforms — Boatsetter, GetMyBoat, and other smaller sites — I earned around $500,000 in revenue. One of Mancini's rental boats. A special-occasion boat rental. Each rental platform takes a cut of the earnings — the fees can be as low as 8.5% or as high as above 25%.

Persons: JP Mancini, —, JP Mancini Boatsetter Organizations: Key, Service, Ventures, Key West Locations: Virginia, Key West , Florida, Florida, Boatsetter, Key West, St . Petersburg, Tampa Bay, United States

☆ Taiwan's wind industry braves cross-strait risks in clean energy boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Sarah Wu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

With large swathes of Taiwan's territorial waters restricted due to defense, shipping and other uses, offshore wind developers will soon run out of space. It's a question of whether you want to pay the price," insurance broker Clive Lin told offshore wind developers in a packed lecture hall in Taipei. Political risk insurance is typically not covered in mainstream insurance policies, so developers have to buy it additionally. The risk of a military confrontation and its impact on Taiwan's wind farms are hard to quantify, analysts say. "In a kinetic conflict invasion, Taiwan's going to have so many other problems, offshore wind is going to be way down on the list," Cancian said.

☆ Cluster of Chinese vessels spotted near Russian rig off Vietnam - ship monitors
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Francesco Guarascio | Thomson Reuters | Francesco Leads A Team Of Reporters In Vietnam That Covers Top Financial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Strong relations between Russia and China are a major factor supporting global stability, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in March, but the two countries have conflicting interests in the South China Sea. "Chinese fishing and scientific research vessels carry out normal production and work activities in maritime areas under China's jurisdiction," it said. It made similar remarks on Tuesday after Chinese boats approached an area where the navies of India and Southeast Asian countries held exercises. On Wednesday, the Chinese vessels were about 10 nautical miles (18 km) from the Japanese operating rig and about 20 miles from the Russia-Vietnam rig, according to South China Sea Chronicle Initiative (SCSCI), an independent non-profit. The Chinese research vessel moved at full speed before entering Vietnam's EEZ but slowed to 4-5 knots, suggesting the ship was conducting a survey there, said SCSCI's Van Pham.

☆ Why have the United States and Philippines issued defence treaty guidelines?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Martin Petty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

May 4 (Reuters) - The United States and the Philippines have agreed on new guidelines for their 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, following multiple requests by Manila to make clear the conditions under which Washington would come to its defence. Though the United States has reassured the Philippines their defence partnership is "ironclad", Manila has argued the seven-decade-old treaty needs updating to reflect a different global security environment. Guidelines issued by the Pentagon now specifically mention that mutual defence commitments would be invoked if there were an armed attack on either country "anywhere in the South China Sea". Another addition specifies that coast guard vessels are among those protected. Some analysts have argued the Philippines and United States were better served by a more ambiguous mutual defence treaty.

☆ The US Air Force has big plans for the next-generation drones that will fight alongside its fighters and bombers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

It's now developing collaborative combat aircraft, which can fight alongside piloted jets or on their own. A need for 'affordable mass'MQ-9s on a runway at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico in April. Worse, the Air Force faces a pilot shortage and its overall number of flight hours has been decreasing. The Air Force also continues to develop top-tier assets like the F-35, the B-21 stealth bomber, and the Next Generation Air Dominance program, or NGAD. "Without it, it's very difficult to envision how we could keep the Air Force at the size it currently is."

CNN —Search efforts are underway for three missing crew members after a Gabon-registered oil tanker caught fire off the coast of southern Malaysia, Malaysian maritime authorities said in a statement. The tanker was sailing from China to Singapore with 28 crew members when it caught fire, MMEA said. “Fortunately, 23 crew members were rescued by two ships in the vicinity,” MMEA director First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said. “While we managed to rescue two crew members, three are still missing,” he added. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore identified the tanker as the MT Pablo.

☆ Philippines, China to discuss fishing rights in South China Sea - Marcos
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, May 1 (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said China has agreed to discuss fishing rights in the South China Sea, as he pushed for a "direct communication line" with Beijing on maritime differences. China has agreed to "sit down" and talk about Filipinos' fishing rights in the South China Sea, Marcos said, adding he has asked the Philippine Coast Guard and the Department of Foreign Affairs "to put together...a map of these fishing grounds" that will be presented to Beijing. The Philippines accused China's coast guard on Friday of "aggressive tactics" following a recent incident during a Philippine coast guard patrol close to the Philippines-held Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint for previous altercations located 105 nautical miles (195 km) off its coast. The United States has urged China to stop harassing Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, while Beijing said it was willing to handle maritime differences with countries of concern through friendly consultations, while warning Washington against interference. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, with a "nine-dash line" on maps that stretches more than 1,500 km (930 miles) off its mainland and cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

☆ US says Chinese Coast Guard is harassing Philippine vessels
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - The United States on Saturday called on China to stop harassing Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, pledging to stand with the Philippines at a time of simmering geopolitical tension. "We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct," the U.S. State Department said in a statement. The Philippines on Friday accused China's coast guard of "aggressive tactics" following an incident during a Philippine coast guard patrol close to the Philippines-held Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint for previous altercations located 105 nautical miles (195 km) off its coast. In February, the Philippines said a Chinese ship had directed a "military-grade laser" at one of its resupply vessels. China's foreign ministry on Friday said the Philippine vessels had intruded into Chinese waters and made deliberate provocative moves.

☆ Philippines rebukes Beijing for 'dangerous manoeuvres' in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Neil Jerome Morales | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The incident occurred on Sunday during a Philippine coast guard patrol close to the Philippine-held Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint for previous altercations located 105 nautical miles (195 km) off its coast. One of the two Chinese vessels "carried out dangerous manoeuvres" about 150 feet (45.72 m) from a Philippine ship, it said. In February, the Philippines said a Chinese ship had directed a "military-grade laser" at one of its resupply vessels. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Friday said the Philippine vessels had intruded into Chinese waters and "made deliberate provocative moves". "We urge the Philippines to respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights," Mao said, adding the Chinese vessels acted professionally and with restraint.

☆ Search for missing American sailors suspended by Coast Guard
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Taylor Romine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The US Coast Guard is suspending its search for three missing Americans last heard from on April 4 near Mazatlán, Mexico, according to a Coast Guard news release. The search was suspended “pending further developments” after Mexican Navy and US Coast Guard responders “conducted 281 cumulative search hours covering approximately 200,057 square nautical miles” with no sign of the missing vessel or passengers, the release said. Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross are all “experienced sailors,” according to an earlier joint statement from their families. “An exhaustive search was conducted by our international search and rescue partner, Mexico, with the U.S. Coast Guard and Canada providing additional search assets,” said Commander Gregory Higgins, command center chief of Coast Guard District 11. Winds potentially over 30 knots and seas 15 to 20, maybe more, feet at the time of their voyage,” Higgins told CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield on Saturday.

☆ Search Halted for 3 Americans Missing Off the Mexican Coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Johnny Diaz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The search for three Americans who were reported missing two weeks ago, after sailing off the coast of Mexico to California, has been called off, the authorities in both countries said. The missing people, a woman and two men identified as Kerry O’Brien, Frank O’Brien and William Gross, were sailing aboard the Ocean Bound, a 44-foot La Fitte sailboat. They were last heard from on April 4, when they were near Mazatlán, Mexico, the Coast Guard said in a news release. The Coast Guard did not specify their ages on Thursday. The three travelers had left Mazatlán on their way to San Diego, and they were scheduled to stop in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on April 6 to resupply with provisions, according to the Coast Guard.

☆ Vendée Globe: History-making sailor Clarisse Crémer wants to be an 'example' to her daughter
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

For Crémer, the fastest solo woman to complete the around-the-world Vendée Globe race, assuming such a role was never part of the plan. “I had made that promise to myself during the previous Vendée Globe that I wanted to be back.”Return to sailingA lifeline was quick to arrive. On Thursday, Thomson announced that Crémer would skipper the team in its bid to qualify for next year’s Vendée Globe. Thomson celebrates finishing second at the Vendée Globe in January 2017, a few hours after French sailor Armel Le Cléac'h. The next Vendée Globe, which takes place between November 2024 and March 2025, will be the 10th edition of the race.

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