Adelaide answers a call for help

11 May 2007 By LCDR Brian Chase

HMAS Adelaide (CMDR R.B. Slaven) answered a call for help from a ship on fire in the South China Sea. Adelaide, whilst participating in EXERCISE SINGAROO, responded immediately to close the MV PADOVA which had called all ships in its vicinity to advise of a fire in its engine room and that they had a critically injured crewman onboard.

As soon as Adelaide was close enough to the stricken 7983 ton, Panamanian registered vessel, a team led by the Executive Officer, LCDR Phil Henry, was sent across by RHIB to assess the situation and render immediate aid to the casualty. Upon their arrival they conducted a quick inspection and found that the fire had been extinguished by the ship's fire fighting system, however, numerous 'hot-spots' remained. With no direct danger from the fire, the team's first priority was attending to the casualty. As soon as he'd been assessed and stabilised he was transferred to Adelaide (II) for further treatment in the hands of the ship's medical team before being by a Singaporean SUPA PUMA helicopter to a hospital in Singapore.

After stabilising and transferring the casualty, the team onboard the PADOVA set about assisting the Ukrainian crew in establishing boundary cooling and determining the full extant of the damage the fire had caused. With the 'hot-spots' under control, it was found that one of the PADOVA's generators had suffered a fuel leak that had in-turn ignited.

After the situation had been fully stabilised, the exhausted team returned onboard and Adelaide proceeded at best speed towards Singapore leaving the PADOVA in the very capable hands of the Singaporean ocean going tug the MV KENDRICK. Another job well done by the RAN's premiere warship!