American Maritime Officers members aboard the SLNC York have safely returned home to the United States after a catastrophic mechanical failure on the vessel in the middle of the Pacific Ocean forced the crew to take heroic efforts to mitigated engine room flooding before escaping the ship unscathed on August 18.
After abandoning ship, the crew was transported to South Korea by a foreign-flagged vessel that responded to the York distress call, where they were greeted by the AMO National President, AMO West Coast Boarding Representative Alex Butler and executives from Schuyler Line Navigation Company, the ship’s owner.
AMO National Vice President, Deep Sea, was in constant contact with the vessel during the ordeal and continued supporting the crew after they arrived on land.
Once settled on land, each crew member met with United States Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board investigators to detail the incident – a process that took several days – before being cleared to head back stateside. Through the entire process, AMO officials provided support along with representation from AMO Coast Guard Legal Aid Program Counsel Michael Reny.
The cause of the mechanical failure is still under investigation. The SLNC York is expected to be towed to a shipyard for examination.
AMO members aboard the SLNC York included Captain Hasan Erkal, Chief Mate Charles Zinni, Second Mate Clayton Russell, Third Mate Antonio Duran, Chief Engineer Andrew Gray, First Assistant Engineer Orion Milazzo, Second A.E. Samuel Franke and Third A.E. Alexander Alfonso.
“Our crew, under the leadership of Captain Hasan Erkal, did an excellent job responding to an evolving emergency situation, from mitigating unexpected engine room flooding to staying calm, cool and collected while preparing tow wires and abandoning ship as they were losing light in the middle of the Pacific – all while a typhoon was approaching. Captain Erkal did a great job keeping the crew focused and gave decisive instructions while coordinating the crew’s eventual disembarking. Everyone from the captain to the steward department deserves kudos for their bravery and professionalism in the most difficult of circumstances – and their safe return home is a testament to that fact,” the AMO National President said.