Stay Informed - Stay Safe

Fantome was a 679-ton staysail schooner owned by Windjammer Barefoot Cruises in Miami, Florida. Completed in 1927 by the Duke of Westminster, she was purchased by Windjammer in 1969, and became flagship of the fleet. During her twenty-nine years of service in this regard, Fantome offered cruises in the Caribbean and the Bay of Honduras. She was lost in October 1998, during Hurricane Mitch.

On 24 October 1998, Fantome departed the harbor of Omoa in Honduras for a planned 6 day cruise. Hurricane Mitch, then over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) away in the Caribbean Sea, was expected to pose a risk to Jamaica and possibly the Yucatán Peninsula. Captain Guyan March decided to play it safe by heading for the Bay Islands and wait for the storm to pass.

By dawn on the following day, however, Mitch seemed to change course. Fantome immediately changed course for Belize City, where it disembarked all of her passengers and non-essential crew members. The schooner then departed Belize City, first heading north towards the Gulf of Mexico, in order to outrun the storm. Storm predictions proved extremely difficult, as the steering currents in Hurricane Mitch were very weak. When word reached Fantome that Mitch would most likely hit the Yucatán before she could get out of harm's way, Capt. March changed course for the south. It was too early to know that he was heading directly into the storm's path.

The plan was to make for the lee side of the island of Roatan. In case Mitch made landfall in the Yucatán or Belize, by being on the southern side of the island, it would provide her with enough protection to keep it from getting damaged by large swells and high winds. However, Mitch, now a Category 5 hurricane with winds up to 180 mph (285 km/h), took a jog towards the south, directly towards Roatan.

As Mitch moved in on Roatan and Honduras, Fantome made one desperate attempt to flee to safety, now heading east towards the Caribbean. Mitch's forward motion picked up, though, and Fantome was unable to outrun the storm. Around 4:30 P.M. on 27 October 1998, with Mitch having weakened but still at Category 5 intensity, Fantome reported that she was fighting 100-mile-per-hour (160 km/h) winds in 40-foot (12 m) seas. They were just 40 miles (64 km) south of Mitch's eyewall. Radio contact was lost with Fantome shortly after that.

On 2 November, a helicopter dispatched by the British destroyer HMS Sheffield discovered life rafts and vests, labeled "S/V Fantome," off the eastern coast of Guanaja. It was all that was found of Fantome. All 31 crew members aboard perished, and a memorial service was held for them on December 12, 1998

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Consolidated Piracy & Maritime Security Alerts for the past 7 days as reported to various authorities and agencies.

For full details of the alerts please go to ASKET Piracy MarSec & Maritime Cyber Alerts Chart

Stay Informed - Stay Safe

@IMB_Piracy @IMOHQ @EUNAVFOR @ReCAAP_ISC @ASKET_Broker #marsec #piracy #shipping #maritime #security #insurance #pandi

Incidents reported by the IMB in the last 7 days:

Nil

For the latest reports go to the IMB Piracy Reporting Center

ASKET Intelligence Map - Piracy, MarSec & Maritime Cyber Alerts Map

GISIS: Piracy and Armed Robbery Incidents, those highlighted (if any) are new additions since the last report:

For more information and to see the incidents in full visit the IMO GISIS pages:

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: The Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf, north of Area VIII

For the latest MET report Open here:

Weather West Africa Meteorological Bulletin MET Area II

Atlantic waters east of 35°W, from 7°N to 48°27'N, and east of 20°W from 7°N to 6°S, including the Straits of Gibraltar

For the latest report please Open here:

1. This week UKMTO issued no advisories or warnings.

2. Vessel operators and ships masters are reminded to register their ships transits of the Strait of Hormuz (SoH) at least 72hrs ahead of their passage. Registering SoH transits with UKMTO and remaining cognisant of the latest Industry, Government and Military guidance remains vital to mitigate against potential risks in the area.

3. The calling notice has been issued for the next Maritime Information Exchange Vessel Operators’ Meeting (MIEVOM) to be held in the Dubai International Seafarers’ Center (DISC) on Thursday 28 November 2019. If you would like to attend please send your details to LH Roy Cadman at dubai-op1@ukmto.org.

Highlights :

MARITIME TERRORISM: No action is to be deplored this week despite repeated ESSCOM warnings, and an extension of the curfew until 7 November. The target remains foreign tourists and the risk of attack / kidnapping in the coming days remains VERY STRONG;ILLEGAL FISHING: 14 events reported this week. Already 48 cases of illegal fishing recorded since October 1st (only 30 in Oct 18).

Two Events have been reported to MDAT-GoG this week.

Maritime Crime Activity

THEFT

20/10/2019

300/2NM OFF POINTE NOIRE CONGO

On 20 Oct 2019 at about 0320 UTC, when anchored at Pointe Noire Anchorage area, Congo, a container ship was boarded by unknown sea robbers. Sea robbers not spotted by crew but robbery discovered during patrol where ISPS personnel discovered the padlock of the paint locker was cut open and an old mooring rope and other ship's equipment stolen.

No more information

SIGHTING

24/10/2019

158/70 NM OFF PORT GENTIL, GABON

On 24th October 2019 at 1045UTC, incoming information reported a possible pirate attack against an offshore support vessel in position 01°46’00”S 009°09’00“E. Later that day, Gabonese patrols boats joined the area of the event and escorted her to PORT GENTIL, GABON.

Once in port, the investigation led by the GABONESE authorities indicated that the vessel wasn’t attacked but was in need of a medical support.

MDAT-GoG comment : this event was related in ADVISORY 001/OCT/19 and its ADVISORIY 001/OCT/19.

Contact the MDAT-GoG:E-mail: watchkeepers@mdat-gog.orgPhone : +33 (0) 2 98 22 88 88 (emergency)Phone : +33 (0) 2 98 22 13 02 (exercise)Phones and mail are monitored 24/7.

Go to ASKET West Africa Operations Page