MONTECRISTO

[hartlepoolmonkey]

The light was fading as I took this photograph of MONTECRISTO discharging at Irvine's Quay in Hartlepool on September 11th, 2011.

Vessel Details
Ship Type: Cargo
Length x Breadth: 188m X 32m
Speed recorded (Max/Average): 15.7/13.1 knots
Flag: Italy (IT)
Call Sign: ICQH
IMO: 9491379
MMSI: 247297900

I never thought a photograph I took of this vessel in Hartlepool would be making national news a month later.

According to the BBC:

"British and US naval forces freed an Italian ship from Somali pirates after hostages threw an SOS message in a bottle from a porthole, Italy's defence minister has said.

Ignazio La Russa said the 23 hostages had locked themselves in the strong room of the 56,000-tonne Montecristo.

The bulk carrier had been seized 620 miles (1,000km) off Somalia on Monday, October 11th, 2011.

The Royal Navy met no resistance on boarding it and detained 11 suspected pirates, UK defence officials said".