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UK cruise ship is held in Madeira
Efforts are under way to release a UK cruise ship that has been detained by police in Madeira. The Van Gogh, which has about 460 passengers on board, was held on Tuesday shortly after it came into Funchal port in the Portuguese isles. Administrators claim the ships owners owe £2 million, after taking over the cruise at Christmas. Van Gogh Cruise Line Ltd said its lawyers were liaising with authorities. One passenger said she was shocked. Home straight The ship is on the final stage of a round-the-world cruise - stops included Egypt, the Caribbean, Ecuador, Tahiti and Cape Town - and had been due back in Falmouth on Saturday. It set off on 4 January from Falmouth, after its previous operator Travelscope went into administration at Christmas. A spokesman for Van Gogh Cruise Line Ltd, which is based in Cheltenham and a subsidiary of the Dutch-owned Club Cruise, said it was working with lawyers to get the ship released as quickly as possible. Passengers said the cruise director ...

The new spacious Hatteras 56 Motor Yacht
Hatteras Yachts is pleased to announce the newest member of its fleet, a 56 Motor Yacht that incorporates original design concepts, a spacious interior and intuitive features that make this an ideal boat for the owner-operator. Priced at under $2 million, the 56 Motor Yacht represents a new entry-level product for the thousands of boat owners who aspire to own a Hatteras. Thanks to its impressive interior, innovative features and solid Hatteras-worthy construction, the 56 Motor Yacht stands ready to introduce a whole new group of boaters to the benefits of becoming a member of the Hatteras family. To learn more about the 56 Motor Yacht, contact an authorized Hatteras dealer today, or visit a Hatteras display at an upcoming boat show. Boaters the world over appreciate the advanced design and robust construction that sets Hatteras apart from the fleet. Like all Hatteras models, the 56 features a solid-fiberglass hull bottom that includes beefy support for key areas such as the ...

Sailors die after trawler sinks
Two French sailors have died and four others are missing after a French fishing vessel sank about 50 miles 80km off Cornwall. Two French helicopters were first sent to search for the crew of La P ite Julie at its last reported position south of The Lizard at about 0400 GMT. French authorities said one of seven crewmen from the 24.6m 81ft trawler had been rescued and two bodies found. Two helicopters from RNAS Culdrose have been assisting. One pilot said wreckage could be seen over a wide area. Two empty life rafts were found in the area where the trawler radioed for assistance before sinking. British rescue services were alerted to the incident at about 0700 GMT. Coastguards at Falmouth were contacted by French authorities and the first helicopter from Culdrose was scrambled at about 0730 GMT. Helicopter pilot Lt Chuck Norris said: We arrived at the scene at 0810 to find a French fixed-wing aircraft coordinating the search, and a French heliopcter. We searched about 20 square ...

Evidence of a warming climate
A chunk of ice the size of the Isle of Man has started to break away from Antarctica in what scientists say is further evidence of a warming climate. Satellite images suggest that part of the ice shelf is disintegrating, and will soon crumble away. The Wilkins Ice Shelf has been stable for most of the last century, but began retreating in the 1990s. Six ice shelves in the same part of the continent have already been lost, says the British Antarctic Survey BAS. Professor David Vaughan of BAS said: Wilkins is the largest ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula yet to be threatened. I didn expect to see things happen this quickly. The ice shelf is hanging by a thread - well know in the next few days or weeks what its fate will be. Like an explosion BAS researchers were alerted to the break-up by daily monitoring of satellite images. They sent a Twin Otter aircraft on a reconnaissance mission to video what was happening. Jim Elliott, who was on board the plane, said he had never ...

Holmatro Marine Equipment Expands Operations to the Americas
Holmatro Marine Equipment, rigging hydraulic supplier to the NYYC Club Swan 42 and other fine European-built yachts, is pleased to announce their Maryland, USA based operations for the supply and service of their wide range of rigging hydraulics and hydraulic rod and wire cutters. Holmatro is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of hydraulic tools for rescue and industry with sales and service points worldwide. Holmatro introduced their marine equipment for sailing yachts in 2002 with resounding success. Their hydraulic rigging equipment line includes integral backstay adjusters, cylinders, boom vangs, control panels and mast jacks. In the summer of 2004, Holmatro acquired Meissner, a company well known for their line of classic winches. Innovation, quality and service are the key elements of Holmatro’s philosophy. Their experienced team of research and development engineers thoroughly bench test all new products before conducting field trials. In addition to field tests on ...

Engine repairs free ice trawler
A British trawler stuck in Antarctic ice for more than a week has been repaired and is set to resume fishing once its engine warms up, crew say. A US air force plane was called in to drop a piston to the Argos Georgia, with an icebreaker due to deliver extra parts shortly. A number of British fishermen are among the 25 crew on board the ship, which lost its power in the Ross Sea. Fish master Shane Jennings said the ship would soon be back up to steam. He had earlier said he was extremely relieved that they would be able to free themselves, having been stranded since 23 December. Boring experience Describing how it felt to be stuck in the remote region, he said: It has been okay - a bit boring for the crew but its just part of the job. We have just been on watch, keeping an eye on the ice and making sure we are not running into any danger, or watching videos and playing cards. New Zealand, which is responsible for co-ordinating rescues in the area and has a research base there, ...

Tow plan for stricken cargo ship
Coastguards have said attempts will be made later to tow back to shore a cargo ship from which 20 crew were rescued off the Devon coast on Sunday night. The crew members were rescued after the Greek-registered Ice Prince got into difficulties about 35 miles off the Start Point. MCA spokesman Fred Caygill said salvors were on the way to the vessel which is carrying 5,260 tonnes of timber. Mr Caygill said it had not been decided where the stricken ship will be taken. It depends where we can get her in, he said. Twelve of the crew were airlifted to Portland by coastguard helicopter and eight others were taken by the Torbay lifeboat to Brixham. Dark on board The MCA said an emergency call was made from the Ice Prince at about 1900 GMT on Sunday. Crew reported that the ship, which was heading for Alexandria in Egypt, was rolling heavily in very poor weather, 35 miles south east of Start Point. At 2015 GMT, the MCA said the coastguard received word that a 41-year-old Greek crewman ...

What happened to the Branscombe booty
In January 2007, scavengers swarmed to Branscombe in Devon in search of plunder. But what happened to the booty they took away? A year on, the MSC Napoli still casts a shadow over Branscombe - literally. Half of its stern, still waiting to be removed by salvagers, is still visible from the shore. When it ran aground off the coast of Branscombe, the villagers could not have predicted what the wreck would bring them. Containers washed from the stricken vessel delivered BMW motorbikes, pet food, anti-wrinkle cream, empty wine barrels, copies of the Bible in Xhosa - and a horde of scavengers eager for booty. Most were disappointed. Only 17 motorbikes - by far the most valuable item of cargo - came ashore, and most beachcombers could only fill their pockets with soggy cosmetics. But a select few were lucky. Contrary to portrayals of them as lawless looters, the Receiver of Wreck has been informed, as the law requires, of the whereabouts of 13 bikes. Two undocumented bikes were ...

Sealine SC35 wins Best Sports Cruiser of the Year
Sealine wins Best Sports Cruiser at the Motor Boat of the Year Award 2008. At the awards ceremony the new Sports cruiser was announced as the super cool SC35 - the range of practical and innovative features plus an exhilarating on water performance showed how it lived up to the name. The SC35 clearly showed the best combination of fun, style, practicality and price - she certainly exceeded all expectations since the launch in Sept at Southampton boat show. The event was held in January at a London hotel. The spacious 35 foot sports convertable was awarded the top prize for best sports cruiser under 45 foot. The award was voted by the editorial teams of the UKs leading Motor Boating titles and seen as the outstanding winner of its category. Managing Director, Steve Coultate said “We are thrilled to receive this prestigious award which firmly underpins our commitment to producing the very best in British design and for stretching the boundaries to create a truly innovative product ...

Greenpeace heads off whale ship
Greenpeace conservation activists say they have disrupted the Japanese whale hunt near Antarcticas coast by chasing a factory ship out of the whaling zone. Crew from protest ship Esperanza said they were maintaining the chase as the whalers cannot hunt at the same time. A spokesman for Japans whale hunt said Greenpeaces actions were illegal and people should not treat them as heroes. Japans whaling fleet plans to kill about 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales by mid-April. The hunt is part of what it calls a scientific research programme, permitted under a clause in International Whaling Commission rules. But Australia and other nations say the same research goals could be achieved using non-lethal methods, and call the research programme a front for commercial whaling. The hunt has suspended plans to kill 50 humpback whales, amid a storm of international criticism. Hunting the hunters A number of ships are in southern waters on the trail of the hunters, including an ...