VIDEO: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2013 – Story Clip – UK, Wales

Evolution of the sport – The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series is in its fifth year in 2013 and the sport keeps progressing every year. Cliff diving is more dynamic than ever and the tricks from 27 metres get more and more complicated. The degree of difficulty increases steadily and this year several athletes break the magical 6.0 hurdles. They perform three somersaults and four twists, for example, or five somersaults in just 3 seconds – is this the limit? © Red Bull Media House

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VIDEO: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2013 – Story Clip – UK, Wales

VIDEO: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2013 Story Clip UK, Wales

Divers search Philippine ferry for dozens missing

Volunteers search near the damaged cargo ship Sulpicio Express Siete a day after it collided with a passenger ferry off the waters of Talisay city, Cebu province in central Philippines, Saturday Aug. 17, 2013. Divers combed through a sunken ferry Saturday to retrieve the bodies of more than 200 people still missing from an overnight collision with a cargo vessel near the central Philippine port of Cebu that sent passengers jumping into the ocean and leaving many others trapped. At least 28 were confirmed dead and hundreds rescued. The captain of the ferry MV Thomas Aquinas, which was approaching the port late Friday, ordered the ship abandoned when it began listing and then sank just minutes after collision with the MV Sulpicio Express, coast guard deputy chief Rear Adm. Luis Tuason said. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Volunteers search near the damaged cargo ship Sulpicio Express Siete a day after it collided with a passenger ferry off the waters of Talisay city, Cebu province in central Philippines, Saturday Aug. 17, 2013. Divers combed through a sunken ferry Saturday to retrieve the bodies of more than 200 people still missing from an overnight collision with a cargo vessel near the central Philippine port of Cebu that sent passengers jumping into the ocean and leaving many others trapped. At least 28 were confirmed dead and hundreds rescued. The captain of the ferry MV Thomas Aquinas, which was approaching the port late Friday, ordered the ship abandoned when it began listing and then sank just minutes after collision with the MV Sulpicio Express, coast guard deputy chief Rear Adm. Luis Tuason said. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard divers retrieve a body from the waters off the coast of Talisay city, Cebu province, in central Philippines Saturday Aug. 17, 2013, a day after a passenger ferry MV Thomas of Aquinas collided with a cargo ship Sulpicio Express Siete. Divers combed through a sunken ferry Saturday to retrieve the bodies of more than 200 people still missing from an overnight collision with a cargo vessel near the central Philippine port of Cebu that sent passengers jumping into the ocean and leaving many others trapped. At least 28 were confirmed dead and hundreds rescued. The captain of the ferry MV Thomas Aquinas, which was approaching the port late Friday, ordered the ship abandoned when it began listing and then sank just minutes after collision with the MV Sulpicio Express, coast guard deputy chief Rear Adm. Luis Tuason said. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Philippine Navy divers retrieve a body from the waters off the coast of Talisay city, Cebu province, in central Philippines Saturday Aug. 17, 2013, a day after a passenger ferry MV Thomas of Aquinas collided with a cargo ship Sulpicio Express Siete. Divers combed through a sunken ferry Saturday to retrieve the bodies of more than 200 people still missing from an overnight collision with a cargo vessel near the central Philippine port of Cebu that sent passengers jumping into the ocean and leaving many others trapped. At least 28 were confirmed dead and hundreds rescued. The captain of the ferry MV Thomas Aquinas, which was approaching the port late Friday, ordered the ship abandoned when it began listing and then sank just minutes after collision with the MV Sulpicio Express, coast guard deputy chief Rear Adm. Luis Tuason said. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

A cluster of life rafts floate near the cargo ship Sulpicio Express Siete with its damaged bow a day after it collided with a passenger ferry off the waters of Talisay city, Cebu province in central Philippines, Saturday Aug. 17, 2013. Divers combed through a sunken ferry Saturday to retrieve the bodies of more than 200 people still missing from an overnight collision with a cargo vessel near the central Philippine port of Cebu that sent passengers jumping into the ocean and leaving many others trapped. At least 28 were confirmed dead and hundreds rescued. The captain of the ferry MV Thomas Aquinas, which was approaching the port late Friday, ordered the ship abandoned when it began listing and then sank just minutes after collision with the MV Sulpicio Express, coast guard deputy chief Rear Adm. Luis Tuason said. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Philippine Coast Guard divers transfer a rubber boat as they prepare to be deployed to augment rescue operations in Cebu from their headquarters in Manila, Philippines on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013. A ferry with more than 800 people aboard sank near the central Philippine port of Cebu after colliding with a cargo vessel, killing at least 28 people. Hundreds have been rescued but more than 200 are still missing, the coast guard said Saturday. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

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CEBU, Philippines (AP) — Divers combed through a sunken ferry Saturday in search of dozens of people missing after a collision with a cargo vessel near the central Philippine port of Cebu that sent passengers jumping into the ocean and leaving many others trapped. At least 31 were confirmed dead and hundreds rescued.

The captain of the ferry MV Thomas Aquinas ordered the ship abandoned when it began listing and then sank just minutes after collision late Friday with the MV Sulpicio Express Siete, coast guard deputy chief Rear Adm. Luis Tuason said.

Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Abaya announced official passenger figures following confusion over the actual number of people on the ferry.

He said the ferry carried 831 people — 715 passengers and 116 crew — fewer than the numbers given earlier by the coast guard and ferry owner, 2Go. He said the death toll has risen to 31 with 629 rescued.

There were foreigners on board “but they are all OK,” except for a New Zealand citizen who was in a hospital, he said.

Cebu coast guard chief Cmdr. Weniel Azcuna said 171 were listed as missing, but the figure would go down once the number of crew members who have been rescued are officially accounted.

Tuason said some of the missing could still be trapped inside the vessel that sank in waters about 33 meters (100 feet) deep off Talisay city in Cebu province, 570 kilometers (350 miles) south of Manila.

Tuason said navy divers recovered at least four bodies early Saturday. Reporters at the site, about two kilometers (1.25 miles) from shore, saw the bodies coated with fuel and oil that spilled from the ferry.

In a statement, 2Go said the ferry “was reportedly hit” by the cargo vessel “resulting in major damage that led to its sinking.” An investigation will begin after the rescue operation, the coast guard said.

Abaya said the cargo vessel smashed into right side near the rear of the ferry which was coming from Nasipit in Agusan del Sur province in the southern Philippines and making a short stop in Cebu before proceeding to Manila.

“I guess it hit the ferry at a very vulnerable point, probably at its water line or below the water line so that it did not take long for it to sink,” he said.

One of the survivors, Jenalyn Labanos, 31, said the ferry quickly tilted to its side after the impact and sank about 20 minutes later.

She said the crash threw her and two companions to the floor of a ship restaurant followed by the lights going out.

“People panicked and the crew later handed out life vests and used their flashlights to guide us out of the ship but they could not control the passengers because the ship was already tilting,” she said.

She said she suffered bruises on her hands and feet as she grabbed a rope on the side of the vessel before jumping into the water.

“I just thought to myself that I have to survive this. I left everything, my bag, my money and my passport,” she said. She was headed to Manila for a flight to Dubai where she has been hired as a maid.

Accidents at sea are common in the Philippine archipelago because of frequent storms, badly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations.

In 1987, the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker in the Philippines, killing more than 4,341 people in the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster.

In 2008, the ferry MV Princess of the Stars capsized during a typhoon in the central Philippines, killing nearly 800 people.

Survivors said many of the passengers were asleep at the time of the accident, while others struggled to find their way in the dark.

Rolando Manliguis was watching a live band when “suddenly I heard what sounded like a blast. … The singer was thrown in front of me.” He said he rushed to wake up his wife and their two children but the water was rising fast.

“When the boat was on its side, the water level was here,” he said, pointing to his neck.

He said they roped down the side of the ferry into the sea and were put on a life raft.

__

Associated Press writers Oliver Teves, Teresa Cerojano and Hrvoje Hranjski in Manila contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Top Headlines

Divers search Philippine ferry for dozens missing

Divers Search Philippine Ferry for Dozens Missing

CEBU, Philippines — Divers combed through a sunken ferry Saturday in search of dozens of people missing after a collision with a cargo vessel near the central Philippine port of Cebu that sent passengers jumping into the ocean and leaving many others trapped. At least 31 were confirmed dead and hundreds rescued.

The captain of the ferry MV Thomas Aquinas ordered the ship abandoned when it began listing and then sank just minutes after collision late Friday with the MV Sulpicio Express Siete, coast guard deputy chief Rear Adm. Luis Tuason said.

Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Abaya announced official passenger figures following confusion over the actual number of people on the ferry.

He said the ferry carried 831 people — 715 passengers and 116 crew — fewer than the numbers given earlier by the coast guard and ferry owner, 2Go. He said the death toll has risen to 31 with 629 rescued.

There were foreigners on board “but they are all OK,” except for a New Zealand citizen who was in a hospital, he said.

Cebu coast guard chief Cmdr. Weniel Azcuna said 171 were listed as missing, but the figure would go down once the number of crew members who have been rescued are officially accounted.

Tuason said some of the missing could still be trapped inside the vessel that sank in waters about 33 meters (100 feet) deep off Talisay city in Cebu province, 570 kilometers (350 miles) south of Manila.

Tuason said navy divers recovered at least four bodies early Saturday. Reporters at the site, about two kilometers (1.25 miles) from shore, saw the bodies coated with fuel and oil that spilled from the ferry.

In a statement, 2Go said the ferry “was reportedly hit” by the cargo vessel “resulting in major damage that led to its sinking.” An investigation will begin after the rescue operation, the coast guard said.

Abaya said the cargo vessel smashed into right side near the rear of the ferry which was coming from Nasipit in Agusan del Sur province in the southern Philippines and making a short stop in Cebu before proceeding to Manila.

“I guess it hit the ferry at a very vulnerable point, probably at its water line or below the water line so that it did not take long for it to sink,” he said.

One of the survivors, Jenalyn Labanos, 31, said the ferry quickly tilted to its side after the impact and sank about 20 minutes later.

She said the crash threw her and two companions to the floor of a ship restaurant followed by the lights going out.

“People panicked and the crew later handed out life vests and used their flashlights to guide us out of the ship but they could not control the passengers because the ship was already tilting,” she said.

She said she suffered bruises on her hands and feet as she grabbed a rope on the side of the vessel before jumping into the water.

“I just thought to myself that I have to survive this. I left everything, my bag, my money and my passport,” she said. She was headed to Manila for a flight to Dubai where she has been hired as a maid.

Accidents at sea are common in the Philippine archipelago because of frequent storms, badly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations.

In 1987, the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker in the Philippines, killing more than 4,341 people in the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster.

In 2008, the ferry MV Princess of the Stars capsized during a typhoon in the central Philippines, killing nearly 800 people.

Survivors said many of the passengers were asleep at the time of the accident, while others struggled to find their way in the dark.

Rolando Manliguis was watching a live band when “suddenly I heard what sounded like a blast. … The singer was thrown in front of me.” He said he rushed to wake up his wife and their two children but the water was rising fast.

“When the boat was on its side, the water level was here,” he said, pointing to his neck.

He said they roped down the side of the ferry into the sea and were put on a life raft.

__

Associated Press writers Oliver Teves, Teresa Cerojano and Hrvoje Hranjski in Manila contributed to this report.

NYT > Global Home

Divers Search Philippine Ferry for Dozens Missing

Divers Recover 3 Bodies From Sunken Indian Submarine

NEW DELHI — Naval divers recovered three badly burned bodies on Friday from the Indian submarine that exploded and sank in Mumbai with 18 crew members aboard, according to the Indian Navy, which said it was unlikely that survivors would be found.

The bodies were so disfigured that officials intend to use DNA analysis to identify them, according to a statement from the navy. The state of the bodies, along with conditions within the vessel, which sank early Wednesday, have led to the “firm conclusion that finding any surviving personnel within the submarine is unlikely,” the statement said.

Boiling water within the submarine, the Russian-made INS Sindhurakshak, made it impossible for divers to even enter the vessel until noon on Wednesday, hours after the explosions that sank it, the navy said. Once the divers were inside, oily and muddy water made for zero visibility even with high-powered underwater lamps.

The damage from the explosions resulted in so much twisted metal that only one diver at a time could work in the submarine’s tiny spaces. After 36 hours of continuous effort, the divers finally reached a compartment early Friday where they found the three bodies, the navy’s statement said.

Extremely high temperatures in the forward section of the submarine meant not only that the sailors there were almost certainly dead, but that their bodies were probably incinerated, the navy said. “However, the navy will continue to search every inch of the submerged submarine till all bodies are either located or it can be stated with finality that no bodies remain to be found,” the statement said.

The cause of the explosions on the 16-year-old Sindhurakshak remain a mystery. Mohan Guruswamy, a military analyst with the Observer Research Foundation, said he visited the submarine the day before the explosion and found it to be “in great shape.”

Mr. Guruswamy said the crew was preparing for a departure early Wednesday morning on a routine patrol, and he speculated that munitions were mishandled during the preparations. “The feeling among naval officers is that while loading the missiles, something happened,” said Mr. Guruswamy, who praised the crew as “very smart, very tough guys.”

Mr. Guruswamy said the Sindhurakshak was the navy’s most advanced submarine and had Indian-made sensor equipment that made it more effective than its Russian designers and builders had envisioned. The submarine carried cruise missiles that allowed it to strike targets on land more than 100 miles away.

Officials believe that a small explosion within the submarine triggered two huge blasts from its onboard munitions. Video of the explosions seems to show two separate bursts that threw flames hundreds of feet into the air. The Sindhurakshak’s sister ship, the INS Sindhuratna, was berthed nearby and was damaged by the explosion but was saved by the quick reaction of firefighters.

The Sindhurakshak had 21 sailors on its night watch, but three of the men were stationed on the submarine’s exterior and managed to dive for safety.

Deep Kumar, whose brother, Lt. Cmdr. Alok Kumar, was one of three officers on the submarine when it blew up, said he and his parents had been keeping a vigil in Mumbai waiting for news. He said the family had spoken with his brother the night before the explosion. “He was fine and there was no indication of any danger or wrongdoing,” Mr. Kumar said.

He said the navy had told them there was no chance that his brother was alive, because temperatures in the submarine had risen past 500 degrees Celsius, or about 900 Fahrenheit, after the explosion.

“We are hoping against hope,” he said.

Hari Kumar contributed reporting.

NYT > Global Home

Divers Recover 3 Bodies From Sunken Indian Submarine

Divers struggle to search submarine

14 August 2013 Last updated at 23:30 ET

Locals describe hearing a sound “like a jet engine” when the blasts happened, as Yogita Limaye reports

Indian divers and rescue workers are battling to refloat a submarine in a Mumbai dockyard, after two explosions led to a fire early on Wednesday.

About 18 sailors were board but there has been no contact with possible survivors and India’s navy chief warned the country to “prepare for the worst”.

Divers have so far opened one hatch of the partially-submerged vessel.

An inquiry into the incident is under way as efforts continue to pump out water to bring the boat to the surface.

It is not clear what caused the blasts on the diesel and electricity-powered INS Sindhurakshak. Sabotage has not been ruled out, although officials say that looks unlikely at this stage.

As India marks Independence Day, officials were not optimistic about the crew’s chances of survival.

Naval chief DK Joshi said it was possible those on board may have found air pockets but “the indicators are negative”.

“While we hope for the best, we have to prepare for the worst,” he told reporters.

Continue reading the main story

On Monday navy divers managed to open the first hatch of the damaged submarine but there has yet to be contact with any of the crew on board

The incident took place after midnight at the busy naval dockyard

As the emergency services rushed to the scene, it emerged that the explosion and fire had trapped a number of crew members, who are feared dead

Navy divers and fire-fighters remained at the scene, which was visited by India’s Defence Minister later in the day.

An inquiry has been ordered into the causes of the incident

Continue reading the main story

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‘Shocking tragedy’

Two huge explosions took place on board the INS Sindhurakshak after midnight on Tuesday. Firefighters spent four hours putting out the ensuing blaze.

The force of the explosions badly damaged the vessel, which sank, and it remains partially submerged at its berth.

Amateur video shown on Indian television showed a large fireball illuminating the sky

Dramatic images on Indian television showed a large fireball illuminating the sky. Smoke from the blaze could be seen in many parts of the city. Many sailors managed to jump to safety after the blast and some were taken to hospital.

The Russian-built vessel had recently been upgraded at a cost of $ 80m (£52m) and it may have been armed with missiles and torpedoes.

Russian firm Zvyozdochka, which refitted the submarine, said the vessel had been fully operational when it was returned to India in January.

On Wednesday Indian Defence Minister AK Antony visited the site. Describing the events as a “shocking tragedy”, he offered his condolences to relatives of those who may have perished.

The INS Sindhurakshak is one of the 10 Kilo-class submarines bought from Russia between 1986 and 2000. It is equipped with Russian Club-S cruise missile systems.

Continue reading the main story

INS Sindhurakshak timeline

• 1997: INS Sindhurakshak procured by Indian navy, one of the 10 vessels in the Kilo-class submarines bought from Russia between 1986-2000


• February 2010: A fire that broke out in its battery compartment kills one sailor


• August 2010: Submarine sent for re-fit to equip it with cruise missile systems


• June 2012: Refit completed with refurbished hull and 10 years added to its 25-year service life


• October 20102: Sea trials begin for submarine


• 14 August 2013: Submarine hit by explosion and fire with sailors trapped inside

• INS Sindhurakshak: India’s submarine woes

The submarine was sent to Russia for the refit in 2010 after a sailor on board was killed by a fire that broke out in the battery compartment while the submarine was docked at the Vishakhapatnam naval base in February that year.

Correspondents say that India has steadily developed its naval capabilities in recent years, motivated by its rivalry with neighbouring China. But the country’s military has encountered numerous scandals and difficulties as it has done so.

Wednesday’s explosions came two days after India’s navy launched its first home-built aircraft carrier, hailed by defence officials as a “crowning glory”.

And on Tuesday India’s federal auditor suggested that the government might have paid too much for 12 helicopters from Anglo-Italian company Agusta Westland, saying procurement procedures designed to ensure value for money were not properly followed.

Last year, India bought a Russian Nerpa nuclear submarine for its navy on a 10-year lease from Russia at the cost of nearly $ 1bn, making it part of a small group of nations to operate nuclear-powered submarines.

India and Russia are long-time allies and Russia supplies about 70% of India’s military hardware.

BBC News – Asia

Divers struggle to search submarine