Dutch sailing ship with students changes course due to volcanic eruption | NOW

Thirty Dutch students on board the sailing ship the Wylde Swan have had to change their course due to the eruption of the volcano La Soufrière last Friday on the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent. The ship with the students on board an education program in the Caribbean would sail to the capital, Kingstown. But that is probably no longer possible.

The trip to Kingstown was necessary because essential parts are ready for the ship’s engine room. “We are now trying to get the parts transported to us by boat taxi. We really need that stuff”, says the captain of the ship Marco van der Werf. The students are anchored only a few dozen miles from the volcano.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines consists of 32 islands and according to Van der Werf the situation after the earthquake differs per island. “On one island, only a lot of volcanic ash descends, on the other island social life is disrupted and everyone wears goggles and a kind of Sahara clothing over their nose and mouth against the sulfur and dust. violence of light, thunder and deep rumble is erupting, one is evacuated. “

Nature requires improvisation from the crew

The ship has yet to sail past Martinique, where the Mount Pelée volcano has also been showing increased activity for two days. The ship’s crew will “have to improvise to make sure everything runs smoothly”, according to the organization behind the ship. The intention is that the ship will sail back to St. Maarten at some point.

The theme during the five-week trip is nature. “Because we always use the world as a classroom, we make the most of it and use the volcano in our lessons.”

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