I recently wrote that the NRP Mondego had left for the mainland. This was in part true, however, the ship has demonstrated its ‘seaworthiness conditions’ by being unable to fulfill successive departure dates, two of which were scheduled for yesterday.
This morning JM reports that the ship broke down off the Madeira coast, where a tugboat was dispatched to tow it back to Caniçal, where the vessel is now moored.
Given what happened, the naval ship and crew couldn’t complete their last mission here, which was transporting IFCN personnel and Maritime Police officers to the Selvagens Islands.
The Navy had already given orders for another patrol vessel to sail toward Madeira to provide necessary maritime cover due to the inoperability of the NRP Mondego.
It was later confirmed that the NRP Setúbal, which arrived this morning in Madeira, left early this afternoon carrying IFCN operatives and Maritime Police officers to the Selvagen islands, where it should arrive tomorrow.
The NRP Setúbal remained moored all morning as crew, goods, equipment, and personnel were transferred from the Mondego to the new vessel.
It appears that the NRP Mondego suffered an electrical failure and will remain at Caniçal port for an inspection team to arrive from the mainland.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
