EVENTS

Russian ‘shadow fleet’ oil tanker towed to German port

Published

3 months ago

January 12, 2025

A team of specialists was lowered onto the tanker to ensure that it stayed evenly balanced during tugging © Stefan Sauer/dpa/picture alliance

Spread the love

After hours of towing, a German maritime emergency team brought the oil tanker Eventin to safety off a Baltic seaport. The vessel, part of Russia’s aging “shadow fleet,” suffered a full blackout late Friday.

The stricken oil tanker Eventin, which had run adrift in the Baltic Sea north of the German island of Rügen, arrived at a safe position off the coast of the harbor of the German port Sassnitz early on Sunday.

The tanker — with around 99,000 tons of oil and said to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet of vessels used to skirt Western sanctions — is to remain in place until a decision is reached on how to proceed.

What we know about the operation

The Eventin is being held in position by two tugboats in a roadstead around five kilometers (around three miles) off the coast, said a spokesman for the maritime emergency command. A roadstead is an anchorage where ships can wait safely at anchor outside a port.

It is still unclear when and where the 274-meter-long (about 900-foot) tanker with 24 crew members will be repaired.

The ship suffered a total system failure, a so-called blackout, in the night heading into Friday and drifted without control on the Baltic Sea for hours.

Rescue teams managed to set up tow connections to the tanker on Friday afternoon.

A specially trained team of experts was lowered onto the stricken vessel from a helicopter. They were tasked with ensuring that the ship’s load was evenly distributed among the tugs.

A spokeswoman for the emergency command said the ship was watertight and that there was no danger to the environment. Several tugs towed the ship from early Saturday morning, initially towards a sea area northeast of Rügen.

However, with numerous wind turbines in the sea near the original destination, the plan was changed to a position further around the island near Sassnitz.

Already showing technical defects

The environmental organization Greenpeace has the “Eventin” on its list of the Russian shadow fleet. It said the almost 19-year-old ship, which sails under the Panamanian flag, had technical defects even before the blackout and was inadequately insured.

According to the organization, this meant that in the event of a serious accident such as an oil spill, the taxpayer would likely have to bear the costs.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Friday criticized Russia’s reliance on rundown tankers in its “shadow fleet,” warning it was a threat to European security.

“By ruthlessly deploying a fleet of rusty tankers, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is not only circumventing the sanctions but is also willingly accepting that tourism on the Baltic Sea will come to a standstill” in the event of an accident, Baerbock said, describing the tankers as “dilapidated.”

rc/ab (dpa, AFP)

EVENTS

POLICE TO COMMENCE TRAINING FOR 10,000 NEW RECRUITS NATIONWIDE As IGP Charges Recruits on Police Reforms, Ethics and Professional Conduct

Published

56 minutes ago

April 11, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Spread the love

PRESS RELEASE
POLICE TO COMMENCE TRAINING FOR 10,000 NEW RECRUITS NATIONWIDE

As IGP Charges Recruits on Police Reforms, Ethics and Professional Conduct

The Nigeria Police Force will commence training exercises for 10,000 new police recruits nationwide tomorrow April 12th, 2025. The intensive training program, designed to equip the new recruits with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively serve and protect their communities, will begin at various police colleges and training schools across the nation.

In preparation for the resumption, the Force Headquarters held an orientation ceremony for the Commandants and Directing Staff of the Training Institutions today April 11th 2025. The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., represented virtually by the DIG in charge of the Department of Training and Development (DTD), DIG Frank Mba, mni., charged the Commandants of the Training Colleges and Schools to embrace the ongoing police reforms, uphold the highest ethical standards, and demonstrate firm professional conduct throughout the course of the training.

The IGP also expressed his administration’s commitment to prioritizing the welfare of recruits on training, in areas of feeding and accommodation, and also ensuring they have a stable and conducive environment throughout their training period. He charged the incoming recruits to be of good conduct, maintain policing ethics and positive character in the course of their training and career.

The IGP expressed his appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his dedication and commitment towards improving the operational strength and capability of the Nigeria Police Force, noting that this significant influx of new officers would mark a substantial investment in bolstering law enforcement capabilities and enhancing public safety nationwide.

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA .
11TH APRIL 2025.

EVENTS

Trump reacts to New York helicopter crash

Published

13 hours ago

April 11, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Spread the love

President of the United States of America, USA, Donald Trump, has reacted to the New York helicopter crash that killed all six people on board earlier on Friday.

The United States President described the incident as “terrible”, saying his transportation secretary is “on it”.

As Ekwutosblog reported earlier, all six passengers and crew of helicopter have been confirmed dead after a helicopter crashed into New York’s Hudson River.

The New York Police Department said that the crash took place near the shore, next to Pier 40, just across the river from New Jersey.

Several emergency services rushed to the scene, with both boats and ground units working together in a coordinated effort to facilitate the rescue.

Trump noted that people were aboard the helicopter at the time of the crash, including three children and three adults, according to CBS News.

Trump wrote on his social media platform, “Looks like six people, the pilot, two adults, and three children, are no longer with us.

“Announcements as to exactly what took place, and how, will be made shortly!”

EVENTS

Jennifer Awele Remembers Late Husband, Jnr Pope, on the First Anniversary of His Passing

Published

24 hours ago

April 10, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Spread the love

Jennifer Awele, the widow of Nollywood actor Jnr Pope Odonwodo, has shared a poignant tribute to her late husband on the first anniversary of his passing.

Accompanied by a family photo, the emotional post is a testament to the enduring love and cherished memories she holds of her beloved husband. The couple, who married in 2014, had three sons together: Jason, Jaden, and Jamon.

Jnr Pope’s untimely death in a boat accident on April 10, 2024, sent shockwaves through the Nollywood community and left his family and loved ones devastated, just weeks shy of his 40th birthday.

Photo source: Instagram