Bourbon races to rescue tug hit by Hurricane Lorenzo

French offshore vessel owner Bourbon has launched a rescue operation for tug supply vessel Bourbon Rhode, which developed a water ingress in the rear of the vessel after it was hit by bad weather associated with category 4 hurricane Lorenzo.

The vessel, while headed for Guyana, was around 1,200 nautical miles off Martinique Island and 60 nautical miles south-south east of the hurricane in the Atlantic when it encountered trouble.

Bourbon says a crisis cell has been activated, and it is collaborating with the Regional Operational Center of Surveillance and Rescue (CROSS) West Indies-Guyana. CROSS has asked bulk carrier SSI Excellent to change its route and assist the tug, and the bulker is expected to arrive to the scene later today.

Bourbon Rhode was built in 2006 and is designed for terminal assistance, oil prevention and anchor handling functions.

Lorenzo has rapidly intensified from a tropical depression to a category 4 hurricane over the past few days. It is not expected to be a threat to land.