Correct - it is the same boat. I have been in touch with the owners of the Alta and although no leakage of fuel or actual breach of the hull has yet been identified, before getting her off the reef they decided it would be safer to empty her of all fuel, which they are currently in the process of doing. Hopefully this happened over the weekend but I will keep you updated as soon as I have news. The Alta will then need a full inspection and in a worst case scenario, will need to go to a drydock for repairs. If this happens, the owner has assured me that they have a backup vessel for the dive charters - namely the Lammer Law - which many of you will know from her history in Galapagos and Caribbean diving. Hopefully the Alta will resume her charters without the need for bringing in another vessel. Please see incident report below, and comments from owner. If you have any further questions about this or any other vessel in Galapagos and wish to contact me direct, then please don't hesitate to send me a mail to
Dom@DiveAdvice.com
Quasar Expeditions
March 18, 2010
Dear Friends,
As some of you may have heard already from different sources, our yacht ALTA was involved in an incident yesterday night just outside of Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island.
Until we know what the exact damage to the yacht is, we want to leave you with the peace of mind that we have a solution for all dive bookings. If the Alta is not available for the date of your dive booking, we have the M/S Lammer Law to replace it. This yacht served as Quasar's primary diving yacht in the Galapagos for countless expeditions and it is currently at dry dock being refurbished. Thus, we can confirm right now that we will render the service for your booking be it on the Alta if all is well or if not, the Lammer Law.
the company's official incident report below:
__________________
Incident involving the M/S Alta
March 18, 2010
18h00 GMT
The Vessel M/S Alta
On March 17, at 7:20 PM local time (13h20 GMT), while entering the harbor at Puerto Ayora, on the southern coast of Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador, the M/S Alta, struck a reef at Camaño Islet and was unable to free itself.
Passenger & Safety
The passengers were evacuated to Port in a safe and orderly fashion with the assistance of the Galapagos National Park vessels and the crew of the Alta. No injuries were reported and arrangements were made for the passengers to stay at an ocean front hotel where their tour is continuing. Puerto Ayora is the main port and population center of the Galapagos Islands and the site of the Galapagos National Park headquarters and Charles Darwin Station. The passenger and staff nationalities included: 16 Canadians, 8 Ecuadorian crew members and 1 Ecuadorian National Park Guide.
Environmental Concerns
The yacht remains on the reef with plans to be removed by specialists. An assessment of the yacht's condition is currently underway. The Galapagos National Park and Quasar Nautica Expeditions are monitoring the Alta. The yacht's fuel is being removed from its fuel tanks and containment measures are in place to mitigate any leaks should they occur, but none have been reported to date.
Cause
Reports indicate that the lighthouse that serves as a reference point to the harbor entrance and which indicates the location of the islet was not working. This is believed to have been one of the primary contributors to the incident
A full report by the Galapagos National Park will be forthcoming.
Contact Information:
QUASAR NAUTICA EXPEDITIONS:
(Quito, Ecuador, Eastern Standard time).
Fernando Diez | Marketing Director
Quasar Nautica Expeditions
Jose Jussieu N41 - 28 y Alonso de Torres
Quito, Ecuador
(593 2) 225-7822 | fax (593 2) 331-6592
Quasar Expeditions has been a leader in adventure yacht cruising of the Galapagos Islands for 24 years.
Quasar Nautica Expeditions M/S Alta Statistics
Type of Vessel: Three-Masted Staysail Schooner
Capacity: 16 passengers, 8 crew plus 1 naturalist guide
Length: 46 meters (140 feet)
Beam: 6.8 meters (21 feet)
Draft: 3.4 meters (10.5 feet)
Builder: Titleness, Norway
M/S Alta was certified to operate by numerous overarching national and international regulations which include the Galapagos National Park, DIGMER and ISM (International, Classification Society and Port State Inspections etc.).
Hull and Machinery Insurance: Marsh Ltd. London, England
Protection and Indemnity: Shipowners: Luxembourg
DIGMER - Galapagos Registration No. TN-01-00100
M/S Alta received its full inspections and certifications, which included a Conditions Survey, required by Insurers Marsh Ltd. and Shipowners, as well as all inspections and certifications required by DIGMER (Ecuador's Marine Merchant Entity).
Quasar Nautica Expeditions Update, March 18, 2010 18h00 GMT
