1,427 cars were lifted from the bottom of North Sea

Car carrier Baltic Ace collided with container ship Corvus J on 5 December 2012. Luckily, despite major damages Corvus J had survided and got to the port without any assitance, but less luck got Baltic Ace. She sunk in only about 15 minutes with cars on board.

The accident happened around 72 km from the coast of the Netherlands in one of the busiest sail routes of the North Hinder Junction. The weather was quite normal, the route is well-known but still they collided.

The rescue team saved 13 crewmembers from the floating raft near the wreckage. However, 11 more seamen were reported dead. The chances to find them alive were virtually zero already 12 hours after the accident because of freezing waters of the North Sea.  

Baltic ace was caring brand new cars from Zeebruge port in Belgium to Kotka, Finland. Brand new Mitsubise’s and other luxurious cars mainly aimed were for Russian market. All these nice cars you can see below. 

For two years 148m long ship lied down in the sea causing the danger for the other ships by being just 6m below the sea level. Boskalis and Mammoet Salvage sucked 500 tones of fuel, split the ship in 6 parts and salvage the wreck in over the period of 18 months. I found these parts now laying in port of Rotterdam. I found the scene just terrific. My breath was on hold all the time I pressed shutter button on my camera.