DEN HELDER, NETHERLANDS – The Kustwacht (Dutch Coast Guard) has released a spectacular video on Tuesday of one of its Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters, which conducted a rescue operation during storm ‘Corrie’ on Monday. Two ships collided in the morning at the North Sea, about 40 kilometers off the coast of the Netherlands on January 31, 2022. As a result one of the ships – German cargo ship Julietta D – suffered severe damage near the engine room, causing the ship to be out of control. The crew was evacuated safely using several helicopters and was brought ashore. No people were hurt in the accident.

NHV Group – operator of the SAR helicopters – produced the footage of the evacuation during the rescue operation. All 18 crew members of the freight ship were disembarked by 3 helicopters, including a Belgian Coast Guard helicopter, which assisted the two Dutch helicopters during the operation.

According to NH Nieuws, all people on board were taken to Schiphol-Oost at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. At 12:40 PM, the Coast Guard reported that all people on board had been rescued. The crew members of the ship were checked at Schiphol Airport by ambulance personnel.

The Julietta D has been successfully towed to the port of Rotterdam, while the other ship involved – oil tanker ‘Pechora Star – is now docked in the port of Amsterdam since Tuesday morning. The ship has no critical damage and hasn’t lost any cargo.

The Dutch Coast Guard is committed to safety at sea, responsible use of the North Sea, ensuring compliance with legislation, and is available 24 hours a day for assistance, crisis management, enforcement and maritime security in the North Sea. It coordinates these tasks from the Coast Guard Center in Den Helder, located in the northwest coast of the country.

The Coast Guard has two SAR helicopters, being operational 24/7. The helicopters are deployed for conducting SAR operations, medical evacuations, and for transport of mobile fire brigade teams to any ship where fire has broken out at sea.

One helicopter is stationed at Den Helder Airport, the other at Rotterdam Europoort (Port of Rotterdam). The two helicopters are owned by the Kustwacht, while NHV Group provides the crew and also maintenance of the helicopters.

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Head photo: The Dutch Coast Guard’s Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) AS365N3 Dauphin, formerly known as the Aérospatiale SA 365 Dauphin 2, a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter produced by Airbus helicopters. (Photo: Kustwacht)