Skip to main content

Distress Call Issued for Spanish Sailor in Black Sailing Vessel "Black Bit"

Update:

The Italian Coast Guard rescued the sailor. Following a satellite alert received yesterday through the COSPAS system managed with the Civil Protection Department, which located him about 110 miles off the Calabrian coast, an aircraft took off from the Guardia Costiera airbase in #Catania and a patrol boat departed from #RoccellaJonica - in addition to two merchant ships diverted to the area - tracked down the boat of the lone Spanish sailor, who was reached and rescued during the night,Issued: April 19, 2024, 1:30 PM UTC


From IMRCC Rome - Italian Coast Guard


Urgency: Distress

Summary:

The Italian Coast Guard (IMRCC Rome) has issued a distress call for a Spanish sailor who departed Crete for Sicily on April 11th aboard a black sailing vessel named "Black Bit."

Details:

  • The sailor's nationality is Spanish.
  • The vessel's name is "Black Bit."
  • The vessel's color is black.
  • The departure date from Crete was April 11th, 2024.
  • The destination was Sicily.

Current Conditions:

  • Wind: 30 knots with gusts up to 40 knots from the northwest.
  • Sea state: Rough with 2-meter waves. Conditions are expected to worsen in the coming hours.

Request for Assistance:

All vessels transiting in the area are requested to be on the lookout for the "Black Bit." If spotted, please contact IMRCC Rome immediately.






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

  On the night of March 6, 2025, at 22:16 UTC, a crew member of the merchant vessel MV Ariadne fell overboard in the central Adriatic Sea, approximately 30 nautical miles off the Italian coast, at latitude 41°39'N and longitude 16°50'E. Current weather conditions in the area are favorable, aiding search and rescue operations. The Italian Coast Guard promptly initiated search operations, deploying naval units and helicopters to locate the missing mariner. All vessels transiting the area have been alerted and are requested to maintain vigilant watch, reporting any sightings to the National Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (IMRCC) in Rome. The Coast Guard commander emphasized the importance of collaboration among maritime units in emergencies like this, noting that swift intervention is crucial to increasing the chances of successful rescue operations. Search efforts will continue unabated until the missing mariner is found or until authorities deem it necessary to conclude ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Distress Alert: Sailing Vessel Kiliki Overdue and in Need of Assistance

UPDATE:  The crew members were rescued.
Post a Comment
Read more

The Dramatic Ordeal of M/V CHRISTINA DEBORA: From Mechanical Failure to Abandonment in the Mid-Atlantic

In June 2025, the standby safety vessel CHRISTINA DEBORA , 38.77 meters in length, experienced a maritime emergency that culminated in its abandonment in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean after drifting powerless for more than two weeks. The vessel had been sold and reflagged to Zanzibar either shortly before or just after leaving South Africa. The Beginning of the Crisis – June 8, 2025 The ordeal began on Sunday, June 8, when CHRISTINA DEBORA , navigating approximately 300 nautical miles northwest of St. Helena Island, suffered a major clutch failure, completely losing propulsion. Seven crew members were onboard at the time. The distress call was officially reported by MRCC NATAL on June 11: the vessel was adrift and urgently required clutch repair parts as well as potable water. Captain Victor managed to contact Johnny Clingham, the administrator of the Facebook group “St Helena’s Talk Group,” who verified the authenticity of the request and informed the wider maritime community. ...
1 comment
Read more