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Accidents

Zeetijger (2017)

On 13 January 2017 at approximately 08:40 to 08:45, Zeetijger was operating on the Ringvaart near Leimuiderbrug between Leimuiden and Leimuiderbrug. The Dutch inland tug was towing a pontoon or barge carrying silo cargo on a route from the Aalsmeer area toward Oude Wetering. Local reporting described a winter squall and strong wind as the circumstances in which the tow got into difficulty.

Classification

  • Incident Type: Sinking
  • Severity: High
  • Evidence status: Contemporary reports describe a wind-related listing or capsize followed by partial sinking; no official causal report was located.

Vessel Details

FieldValue
Vessel NameZeetijger
Vessel TypeTug
Flag StateNetherlands [NL]
IMO Number
MMSI244670520
Call Sign
ENI Number02002245
Gross Tonnage32
LOA (m)21.00
Breadth (m)5.10
Bollard Pull (t)50
Power (kW)
Owner/Operator
TEU
Year Built1947
Crew Size3

Incident Details

FieldValue
Date2017-01-13
LocationRingvaart near Leimuiderbrug, between Leimuiden and Leimuiderbrug, Netherlands
Coordinates52.2240, 4.6724
RegionNetherlands
Fatalities0
Injuries0
Missing0
Cargo LossSilo cargo on a towed pontoon; exact quantity and loss status unresolved
Direct Damage
Economic Damage
Insured Loss
Salvage/Cleanup Cost

Key facts

  • On 13 January 2017, Zeetijger was towing a pontoon or barge with silo cargo from the Aalsmeer area toward Oude Wetering when it encountered a winter squall near Leimuiderbrug.
  • Contemporary reports attributed the loss of stability to strong wind. The tug listed, capsized or partially sank, and remained partly visible above the water.
  • Three crew members reached safety without reported fatalities or injuries; reports differ on whether they reached shore independently or were brought ashore by another boat.
  • Emergency services, including a dive team, responded. Vessel-history records state that the tug was later raised and returned to service.
  • The inland tug is identified by ENI 02002245 and MMSI 244670520; it is distinct from a different seagoing vessel named Zeetijger.

Narrative

On 13 January 2017 at approximately 08:40 to 08:45, Zeetijger was operating on the Ringvaart near Leimuiderbrug between Leimuiden and Leimuiderbrug. The Dutch inland tug was towing a pontoon or barge carrying silo cargo on a route from the Aalsmeer area toward Oude Wetering. Local reporting described a winter squall and strong wind as the circumstances in which the tow got into difficulty.

The tug listed to port, capsized or partially sank, and was left with the wheelhouse and parts of the starboard bulwark visible above the water. Three crew members reached safety without reported injuries. One account says they reached shore independently, while another says another boat brought them ashore. Emergency services, including a dive team, were called to the scene.

The sources do not establish whether the wind acted directly on the tug, the pontoon, the tow cables, or the combined tow configuration. They also do not establish the exact number or contents of the silos involved. A vessel-history record states that Zeetijger was later raised and returned to service, so the sinking did not result in an established total loss. No incident-specific official investigation report, pollution assessment, damage valuation, or salvage date was located.

Sequence of events

Date/timeEvent
2017-01-13 08:40-08:45 localA report was received that Zeetijger was listing and sinking near Leimuiderbrug during a winter squall.
2017-01-13The tug, towing a pontoon or barge with silo cargo, partially sank and remained partly visible above the water.
2017-01-13Three crew members reached safety; emergency services and a dive team responded.
2017-01-13 onwardSalvage operations were planned or begun, and later vessel-history records state that the tug was raised and returned to service.

Contributing factors

FactorEvidence statusDescription
Strong wind and winter squallReportedContemporary local reports attributed the tow’s loss of stability to strong wind during a winter squall. No official causal finding was located.
Tow configuration and wind exposureSuspectedThe tug was connected by cables to a pontoon or barge carrying silo cargo, but the sources do not establish how the tow arrangement and wind combined to produce the listing.

Investigation

No public incident-specific official investigation report or final causal determination was located. The available reporting supports the event sequence, crew outcome, emergency response, and later raising of the tug, but not a quantified pollution, damage, or salvage record.

References

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