Baxter Allingham

Baxter Allingham is a Canadian seafarer and Master Mariner from Newfoundland, most notable for his involvement in rescue efforts of the Ocean Ranger disaster and the subsequent call for better lifeboats and retrieval systems.

Captain

Baxter Allingham
Born1958 (age 64–65)
Brig Bay, Newfoundland, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Years active1975–present
Employers
  • Crosbie Offshore Services
  • Maersk Supply Service Ltd.

Early life and education

Baxter Allingham was born in Brig Bay, Newfoundland, in 1958. He spent much of his younger years fishing with his father and siblings.[1] In 1975, Allingham was educated in St. John's, spending four years, working toward's his Master's ticket.

Career

In 1979, Allingham received his Master's ticket and signed up with Crosbie Offshore Services. He was appointed Captain of the Nordertor, an Anchor handling tug supply vessel (AHTS).

Ocean Ranger disaster

On 15 February 1982, a massive winter storm caused the semi-submersible oil platform, Ocean Ranger, which was drilling at the Hibernia Oil Field, to sink. Allingham and the Nordertor were on standby and responded to the Ocean Ranger's Mayday call, along with the Boltentor and Seaforth Highlander. Their rescue efforts were hampered by the storm. Allingham watched as the Ocean Ranger disappeared off the radar screen 90 minutes after the Ranger's crew evacuated the rig. Nordertor spotted a damaged and overturned lifeboat with 15 to 20 bodies inside. The crew attached a line to the lifeboat and attempted to recover the bodies but only managed to recover one. Most of the bodies came out of the damaged hole in the bow of the lifeboat.[2][3]

Aftermath

During investigations into the disaster, Allingham stated that the Nordertor was not equipped to hoist people over the side and that the lifeboats aboard the Ocean Ranger were "inadequate".[4]

In 1982, Allingham was featured on an episode of CBC's Land and Sea, showcasing the Newfoundland offshore oil industry and Allingham's contributions to the industry as a captain.[1]

Later career

Since 1995, Allingham has worked with Maersk Supply Service Ltd. (later Maersk Supply Service Canada Ltd.), commanding vessels such as the Maersk Norseman and Maersk Nexus.

Under the command of Allingham, in February 2022, Maersk Nexus responded to the distress call of the Villa de Pitanxo, a Spanish fishing vessel which sank. The Nexus recovered two bodies of the crew of 24; 21 died in total.[5]

Ships commanded
  • Nordertor
  • Maersk Norseman
  • Maersk Nexus

References
  1. "The oil rig supply fleet: A Land & Sea archival episode". CBC News. June 22, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  2. "A supply boat captain said Thursday he saw the... - UPI Archives". UPI. April 7, 1983. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  3. Royal Commission on the Ocean Ranger Marine Disaster (August 1984). "Chapter 8 – Evacuation and Emergency Response" (PDF). Report One : The Loss of the Semisubmersible Drill Rig Ocean Ranger and its Crew (PDF). Government of Canada Publications. pp. 111–112, 114–115. ISBN 0-660-11682-0.
  4. "Ocean Ranger lifeboats called inadequate". UPI. April 28, 1982. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  5. "Dead from Spanish trawler sinking begin to arrive in St. John's". CBC. February 18, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
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