Reports

Fishing Vessel "Paula" arrived in the Norwegian Port of Selje, Maloy with a crew of 11 on the evening of 23rd January 2005 to discharge her catch of 270 tonnes of mackerel.

Prior to commencing discharge of cargo routine maintenance was carried out on the vessels sea water system on the morning of the 24th January 2005.

During this maintenance operation seawater entered the engine room through the port seawater suction strainer.

Efforts to halt the ingress of water proved unsuccessful and the engine room and adjacent spaces flooded causing the vessel to partially sink alongside the quay.

All persons escaped safely to the quayside without injury. There was minimal pollution caused.