Classification
- Incident Type: Sinking
- Severity: Medium
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Vessel Name | Temi IV |
| Vessel Type | Tug |
| Official Number | 7512 Z ROTT 1950 |
| Flag State | Netherlands [NL] |
| IMO Number | 6913546 |
| Call Sign | PHXH |
| Gross Tonnage | 269 |
| LOA (m) | 38.31 |
| Breadth (m) | 8.03 |
| Bollard Pull (t) | |
| Power (kW) | |
| Owner/Operator | Rederij T. Dijkhuizen |
| TEU | |
| Year Built | 1942 |
| Crew Size | |
Jan Heymans
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Vessel Name | Jan Heymans |
| Vessel Type | Bitumen/asphalt factory ship |
| LOA (m) | |
| Breadth (m) | |
| Gross Tonnage | |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Date | 1971-09-26 |
| Location | Oosterschelde near Kamperland, Zeeland, Netherlands |
| Coordinates | 51.5633, 3.9636 |
| Region | Netherlands |
| Fatalities | |
| Injuries | |
| Missing | |
| Cargo Loss | |
| Direct Damage | Temi IV was forced underwater when Jan Heymans capsized; the tug was raised and repaired. |
| Economic Damage | |
| Insured Loss | |
| Salvage/Cleanup Cost | |
Key facts
- Temi IV was assisting the bitumen/asphalt factory ship Jan Heymans near Kamperland when the larger vessel capsized and forced the tug underwater.
- A maritime-history transcription reports that four Temi IV crew members escaped and were picked up by Muller tugs from Terneuzen.
- The reported initiating problem was a leaking pontoon alongside Jan Heymans; six tugs went to assist.
- Temi IV was raised on 1971-10-01 and later repaired and rebuilt.
- A Dutch Supreme Court case summary states that Jan Heymans capsized because of a cause aboard that vessel and pressed Temi IV completely underwater.
Narrative
On 26 September 1971, the Dutch tug Temi IV was assisting the bitumen/asphalt factory ship Jan Heymans in the Oosterschelde near Kamperland. The maritime-history record reports that a pontoon alongside Jan Heymans leaked and that six tugs went to assist. Temi IV attempted to pump water from the distressed vessel when Jan Heymans suddenly capsized and forced the tug completely underwater. The same account reports that four Temi IV crew members escaped and were picked up by Muller tugs from Terneuzen.
A Dutch Supreme Court case summary concerning the assistance and salvage dispute states that Jan Heymans capsized because of a cause aboard that vessel, pressing Temi IV underwater. It does not provide a fuller technical investigation. Marhisdata records that Temi IV was raised on 1 October 1971 and taken to Vlissingen, with subsequent repair and rebuilding. The record also reports damage in the order of several hundred thousand guilders, but the scope is not clear enough to use as a financial estimate here.
The accessible web accounts vary in their spelling of Jan Heijmans, Jan Heymans, and Han Heijmans and do not establish a single reliable total number of people aboard both vessels. The page therefore leaves fatalities, injuries, and missing persons blank. Temi IV's IMO number, dimensions, call sign, official number, and Netherlands identity are supported by the maritime-history vessel record.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|
| 1971-09-26 | A pontoon alongside Jan Heymans was reported leaking near Kamperland in the Oosterschelde. |
| 1971-09-26 | Six tugs responded; Temi IV attempted to pump water from the distressed vessel. |
| 1971-09-26 | Jan Heymans capsized and forced Temi IV underwater. |
| 1971-09-26 | The accessible maritime-history account reports that four Temi IV crew members escaped and were picked up by Muller tugs. |
| 1971-10-01 | Temi IV was raised and brought to Vlissingen for repair. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|
| Leaking pontoon and water ingress aboard Jan Heymans | Reported | The maritime-history record transcribing a contemporary newspaper account reports a leaking pontoon beside the distressed vessel. |
| Cause aboard Jan Heymans leading to the capsize | Confirmed finding | A Dutch Supreme Court case summary states that Jan Heymans capsized because of a cause aboard that vessel. The summary does not identify the technical mechanism. |
Investigation
No dedicated maritime investigation report was located in the web sources reviewed. The Dutch Supreme Court case summary Jan Heymans records the legal dispute arising from the assistance and states that the factory ship capsized because of a cause aboard that vessel. The technical cause and any formal safety investigation remain unresolved.
References
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