We are addressing you in a crisis and emergency situation, on behalf of the family of Captain Dino Miskic from Croatia and the family of sailors from Ukraine and the Philippines.
Captain Dino Miskic and 13 crew members sailed the Bourbon Rhode aboard the Las Palmas – Guyana route under the French Bourbon company. The voyage started on 9/17/2019 and the ship was due to arrive in Guyana on 10/3/2019. On 9/26/2019 the ship sank under yet unexplored circumstances and on 9/27/2019. search and rescue launched. Till 10/5/2019 3 sailors were rescued, 4 sailors were found dead and 7 sailors still to be found. Although as many as 7 crew members were not found, despite not finding 3 of the 4 life rafts used to rescue crew members and despite the information available of 7 crew members boarding the aforementioned liferafts, Bourbon Rhode dated 5/10/2019 announced the end of the quest.

We are addressing you this way because we hold that the suspension of the search for the 7 remaining crew members of the Borubon Rhode crew violates the human rights of these sailors and their families, first of all the right to life, as guaranteed by the human rights instruments, above all the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations and Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Council of Europe. The right to life is a fundamental right of man. In the hierarchy of human rights, it is above and beyond all other rights. The right to life is absolute. The right to life is a part of civil and political rights and freedoms that must not under any circumstances be abolished or restricted, and we believe that Captain Dino Miskic and crew members have a right to life that should not be denied an unjustified suspension of their search.

The families of the 7 remaining sailors, as well as the public and citizens of the Republic of Croatia, believe that in the given circumstances, there is certainly reasonable hope that the persons in danger will be found and that there is no reasonable and justified reason to suspend the search after only 7 days. We believe that, in circumstances where there is a certain possibility of rescuing crew members, a series of international documents has been violated, notably the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS Convention), the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention), and the International Maritime Search and Rescue Convention (SAR Convention), which all point to the obligation of an appropriate and effective search and rescue at sea, that is, to quote the provisions of the International Maritime Search and Rescue Convention, obligation of State Parties to:

“Ensure that assistance is provided to any person in distress at sea… regardless of the nationality or status of such a person or the circumstances in which that person is found” (Chapter 2.1.10) “[…] provide for their initial medical or other needs, and deliver them to a place of safety (Chapter 1.3.2.). ”

By suspending the search, Bourbon Rhode and search and rescue authorities violate these international documents.
At present, in less than 24 hours, over 30,000 signatures have been collected in the Republic of Croatia to continue the search for missing crew members and we ask that you take all appropriate steps to continue the search for Captain Miškić and the Bourbon Rhode crew members, finally to be found.

Greetings,

Family and friends of missing seaman,

I have search in SOLAS/IMO/Habour master and others sites an article / standards how contantion barrier must be placed around the barge and vessel during bunkering to avoid oil spiiled/pollution, but nothing noted.

I have noted hundred items to prevent oil pollution to sea, it is very important but not last because many of those items used to prevent pollution may fail (human errors or electronic/mechanic, ect..)

I have attend a case recently and confirmed that if barge`s team placed contation barrier in such condition / efficiently, the oil spilled / pollution should be controlled and easy cleanned and avoid seriously environment prejudices and high costs

As i have noted in those years attending as a surveyor during bunkering process, placing the contation barriers during bunkering seems that it is only to attend the protocols/conventions, it is not to really contain the oil spilled.

Solas and Marpol are full of details regarding such fine details which might appear silly and petty to you.

200ft below the waves you jobsworth.

@ Nemat:

We do not provide Marpol ebook