While some of Sea-Watch activists have been fighting in recent weeks for the release of SEA WATCH 3 currently detained at Malta and continue to do so were others in the creation and scheduling of the Italian rescue project Mediterranea involved. Tangible result of this work, the Sea Watch supports both financially and operationally to a considerable extent, is the now tarnished mission tugboat MARE JONIO off the Libyan coast.
She was built in 1972 by Cantiere Navale M & B Benetti, Viareggio as Yard Number 96 for the Italian Towage Company – Augustea Imprese Marittime e di Salvataggi SpA, Augusta, Sicily.
With bollard pull of 39 tons she’s 37.55 m long with 9m beam.
Images above are of the tugboat back 18 years ago on 4th October,2000 and leaving on the 5th in a rainy day
On 10th July 2015 the Tug MARE JONIO has been delivered from Augustea SpA to Tec.ma Tecnologie Marittime Srl and was used in STS (Ship to Ship) Operations OPL Augusta.
Images above are taken at Augusta Port, Sicily back to 4th March, 2018
And lately she was seen with 2 mobile toilets at the stern and some sort of shelter.
Also today Thursday 4th October, 2018 at 1630 hrs she was spotted 21.3 nautical miles off Valletta, Malta.
Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com