Tough Times For OCEAN LIFE
MV OCEAN LIFE (ex LEV TOLSTOY, NATASHA, PALMIRA, THE JASMINE, FARAH, EASY CRUISE LIFE) developed a crack in her hull on the return leg of her maiden voyage with some 400 passengers and 134 crew on board.
The ship, which just began a season of Indian coastal cruises, sailing between Mumbai and Goa with Blue Ocean Cruises, was some 17 nautical miles off Goa when the crack began to open on the port side. Water entered the hull creating a list of 5 degrees. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard swiftly jumped to action and three tugs returned the distressed ship to the Mormugao port in Goa by 4am local time. During the rescue operation, passengers and the crew remained on board the vessel.
MV OCEAN LIFE has now been moved to the Western India Shipyard for repairs.
Add a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
A former car ferry and not one that was maintained properly anyway. What a shame……..something like this ship should have been scrapped and the Regal Empress carry on.
Anyone know which company currently operates the OCEAN LIFE? I haven’t been able to find info on her movements after she was withdrawn by Easy Cruise. Clearly she’s sailing, in order to have 400 passengers onboard, but who for?
Blue Ocean Cruises – I added this to the post just today. A Greek company sub leasing the ship, offices in Mumbai
David, so true.
The Caribe should still be sailing even if people had to sign a waver to say they accept that a ship that carried millions for 50 years might not take the best care of them in any situation. Cracked hulls, cracked crankcase not the Caribe !!!!
The MV Ocean Life has not had a happy, warm and fuzzy sea life. In 1981 she was the car ferry Lev Tolstoy, then the Natasha, then Palmira, and Farah, and then Easy Cruise. Cruise. Owners included Black Sea Shipping, Blasco K, Easy Cruise, and presumably, Blue Ocean cruises Registries include The Ukraine, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Malta. The ship sailed for over a year without provable registry and owner, prior to easy cruise. To say the ship has a questionable and perhaps unenviable past is a topic for thought. Lay ups and lack of maintenance have probably plagued the ship for years. Currently this ship sails for a group out of Mumbay.
The ship can be fitted out to be as grand as a palace, however, one thing to be aware of, India is not known for taking safety issues to task. If somebody sneezes in India, mass hysteria often ensues, and people are trampled and all you know what breaks out. Imagine being on a cruise ship out of India? dear god!
The itineraries I can only imagine are wonderful, calling at islands and remote coastal ports that only a ship sailing from India can visit easily. The food is probably authentic. BUT safety is the key.
“The Indian Navy and Coast Guard swiftly jumped to action and three tugs returned the distressed ship to the Mormugao port in Goa by 4am local time” – reports state nothing could be further from the truth. It took eleven hours for a local shipyard to attend and plug the leak whilst the Indian Navy and PA watched – with the exception of threatening to tow the vessel to an anchorage when it bacame apparant she may sink at the berth.
Hi I was crew on this ship during the events described the horror was complete without a news organization and not what will happen to those that stood in Goa a few days as we stopped the water and electricity constantly and the food just was scarce. I have experience and expertise in three companies and 6 different ships but this horror not seen
Ha ha ha. Osman what you actually see the horror of this ship? You had descended into the machine to understand what it word.I was there and I tell you that your ship is a living tomb is not for nothing but scrap
thst´s the end of her. Now being demolished in Aliaga.
Raik: You sure about that? I was recently informed (from Greek person in the know) that she had been sold to a Chinese buyer for further service.