Portuguese Navy Training Ship NRP Polar Sinks at Lisbon Naval Base

Image Credits: Wikipedia
The NRP Polar, a training ship of the Portuguese Navy, sank unexpectedly at its mooring in the early morning hours at Lisbon’s Alfeite Naval Base. water rapidly filled the hull, leading to a loss of buoyancy.

An official explanation from the navy is still pending. However, initial reports indicate that all crew members are safe and there are no immediate environmental threats.To mitigate any potential pollution risks, containment booms have been deployed around the submerged vessel. Naval divers and technical teams have commenced damage assessments and investigations into the flooding’s cause.

Efforts to refloat the ship have begun, though authorities have not provided a timeline for this operation. An examination is actively seeking to uncover what triggered this incident.

originally named Anne Linde, NRP Polar was constructed in 1977 at Phoenix B.V. shipyard in westerbroek, Rotterdam. It was first registered in Viersen, Germany and served as a charter cruise ship until 1982.in 1983, it was acquired by the Portuguese Navy and officially became part of its fleet as a training vessel for naval cadets in 1985.

This 75-foot gaff rigged schooner has played an essential role in providing practical training for cadets at the Naval School,accommodating up to 12 trainees concurrently.

Currently, salvage operations are ongoing while investigations continue into how such an unexpected flooding occurred.