MOD-Contracted Vessel Hit By Tanker In Falmouth

A vessel contracted by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been hit by an oil tanker in Falmouth, Cornwall.

The MOD-contracted boat, called 'Smit Yare' and owned by Boskalis, supports flying operations at RNAS Culdrose, including winching operations and range finding.

Seven crew members were on board Smit Yare at the time, with no injuries reported.

The Royal Navy says the commercial tanker involved in the incident, Else Marie Theresa, was empty at the time.

The service added that an electrical transmission failure is thought to have occurred on the tanker while preparing to slip from her berth, moving into fixed pontoons at a speed of between eight and 10 knots and hitting Smit Yare.

A clean-up operation is underway with the level of damage sustained by Smit Yare believed to be only superficial, with her role as part of RNAS Culdrose operations unlikely to be affected.

Cover image: The Smit Yare following the incident in Falmouth (Picture: T. Brookes).