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Yachting World

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Pro navigator’s tips on how to use the ocean’s currents for an offshore advantage

• Helen Fretter
• June 5, 2018

Top Australian navigator Adrienne Cahalan shares some expert tips on using currents on bluewater passages and ocean races

There are a number of yacht races around the world in which strategic decisions on whether to go into or out of ocean currents can have a significant impact on how the race is won or lost.

Ocean currents can be driven by wind (surface ocean currents), tides (estuary or near shore) or other factors such as water density. The Coriolis effect which deflects winds to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere also deflects major surface ocean currents to the right in the northern hemisphere in a clockwise spiral, and to the left in the southern hemisphere, counter-clockwise. These major spirals of ocean-circling currents are called ‘gyres’ and are found in the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific and Indian Ocean.

On the east and west edge of the gyres are boundary currents. The California, Humboldt (Peru) and Canary currents are examples of eastern boundary currents, which are characterised as shallow, broader and slower flowing. Western boundary currents such as the north-flowing Gulf Stream and Kuroshio (Japan), the south-flowing East Australian Current and Agulhas (South Africa) are characterised as faster flowing, deeper and narrower.

Information on the rate and direction of ocean currents via the Global RTOFS (Real-Time Ocean Forecast System) model is easily accessed through navigation software programs that download data in GRIB format.

Once you have obtained the current data the race strategy decision-making begins. In a Sydney Hobart Race, for example, if you are in a 100-footer then current as a percentage of boat speed is negligible; so sailing 12-15 miles further off course to get into current that will assist you at up to 2-3 knots may not be beneficial in the overall strategy of the race.

Another important consideration is the effect on the sea state of wind against current. The East Australian Current has broken many boats when warm waters in a 2-3 knots south-flowing current meet cold, south-westerly winds as cold fronts travel up along the New South Wales coast, generating short, steep seas that can snap masts and delaminate hulls.

For smaller boats in the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race there can be a clear trade-off between extra mileage and sailing further to find favourable current.

Once racing, it is up to the navigator to monitor the current relative to the observed conditions and forecast. When observing current on board, it is useful to know that there are differences in the way data is calculated and displayed through different instrument systems (eg B&G, Ockam) or navigation software packages (eg Expedition, Deckman, Adrena).

Current/tide data is displayed as knots for rate and degrees for direction. Nick White is the software designer and owner of the tactical racing software program Expedition. He explained that Expedition calculates tide/current direction and rate from data output by the instrument system. There are pre-set current and drift calculations in Expedition, however these are for use where the instruments don’t provide it. In his experience the instrument system (eg H5000) has more precise and timely data.

Mike Sugden from Navico, which manufactures the H5000 and B&G products including Deckman for Windows, explains that B&G and Deckman calculate tide and drift differently. On B&G Instruments tide is calculated from the difference between boat speed and SOG/heading and COG, whereas in Deckman the tide is calculated by comparing dead reckoning (course and boat speed) and the GPS fix position. In this case, it is really important to have calibrated boat speed, heading and leeway (if enabled). In Deckman the output can be adjusted to average over a specified number of minutes depending on the user’s preference.

Leeway can be taken into account in current calculation but is not necessarily measured on a simple instrument or software package. However, when more boat speed devices come onto the market that can measure leeway accurately, there will be improvement in tide and drift calculations.

An NOAA image of the Gulf Stream current which can be overlaid in a navigation program such as Deckman for Windows or Expedition so the boat position can be placed on the image relative to the current

How to work out whether to take a loss to go into current?

1 Calculate the time lost sailing away from the rhumb line and compare it to the gains made once the yacht is repositioned in favourable current. You need to take into account best and worst case scenarios of wind shifts and wind speed. One way to do this is to run different routes in your navigation software using different scenarios.

2 Consider the time that will be spent in the current and its potential effects on hardware: steep seas, risk of breakages or structural failure. This may mean weighing up the potential of winning against the goal of finishing the race.

3 Make sure the information you are getting from the instruments matches what is happening in real time using observations such as comparing course/COG and boat speed/SOG yourself, looking at navigational buoys, wave disturbances for current or tide lines, and observing the colour of the water or cloud lines.

About the author

Australian navigator ADRIENNE CAHALAN has raced 26 Sydney Hobarts, winning line honours six times and overall victory twice. A pro sailor since 1988, she has sailed with Whitbread and Volvo teams, and round the world record breaker Cheyenne . She practises as a consultant maritime lawyer and climate adviser.

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72-year-old man rescued from sinking ship near Fort Myers

by Gershon Harrell

FORT MYERS, Fla. (CBS12) — A 72-year-old man was rescued from a sinking boat near Fort Myers on Friday, according to the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

USCG says they were alerted to the man's distress call at 8 a.m. after he reported his 40-foot sailing vessel was taking on water. He activated his emergency position utilizing a radio beacon.

See also: Second arrest made in double homicide in Indian River County

The man was spotted at 12 p.m. by an MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter and a C-27J Spartan airplane. USCG states the man was hoisted off his sinking vessel and was taken to the Tampa Fire emergency medical services at Peter O. Knight Airport to receive a higher level of care.

"Coast Guard crews were able to complete this rescue quickly and efficiently thanks to the boater having a properly registered EPIRB aboard his vessel," said Petty Officer 1st Class Michel D. Dinapolis, Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg Command Center watchstander. "We encourage all boaters to adhere to safe boating in case they find themselves in an emergency out at sea."

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Former names: Angelita, Hussar II

Cruise line Sea Cloud Cruises (Small Cruise Lines)

Sea Cloud current position

Sea Cloud current location is at Caribbean Sea (coordinates 15.58200 N / -61.47150 W) cruising en route to GP LSS. The AIS position was reported 6 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Sea Cloud

Sea Cloud current cruise is 13 days, one-way from Valencia to Valletta . Prices start from USD 29344 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 25 Apr, 2024 and ends on 08 May, 2024 .

Specifications of Sea Cloud

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•   Review
•   Wiki

Sea Cloud Itineraries

Sea cloud review, review of sea cloud.

The 1931-built cruise ship Sea Cloud 1 is a tall-sailing ship launched as a private yacht constructed by the shipbuilder Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel Germany . The vessel was drydock-reconstructed and started cruise services in 1979. Sea Cloud was extensively drydock refurbished in 2011 at MWB-Werft ( Bremerhaven ). Its sistership is Sea Cloud 2 (2000-built as an exact replica). In 2021, the fleet joined the world's largest sailship Sea Cloud Spirit .

All three sailships are owned by Sea Cloud Cruises GmbH/ fleet (1979-founded, Hamburg -based company).

The vessel (IMO number 8843446) is currently Malta- flagged (MMSI 256084000) and registered in Valletta .

These sailships perfectly combine the elegance of sailing vessels with the luxury and comfort of modern passenger ships. Sea Cloud Cruises fleet in 2021 joined the newbuild Sea Cloud Spirit .

Occasionally, the boat is seasonally chartered by Lindblad Expeditions .

Traditionally for Sea Cloud Cruises, Sea Cloud 1 is often privately chartered, with a schedule combining regular revenue voyages with time- and voyage charters. The charterers are usually specialized groups renting the ship for events like religious conventions, business meetings, alumni gatherings, private parties (family reunions, birthdays, weddings, celebrations). Some even charter the ship for golf-themed cruises.

History - construction and ownership

The 64-passenger ship Sea Cloud 1 is a 4-masted barque originally built as a private yacht for Marjorie Merriweather Post (1887-1973) - an American entrepreneur, businesswoman, philanthropist. At the time, Marjorie Merriweather Post was the owner of General Foods Corporation (1929-founded/1990-defunct). The company (as Postum Cereal Company) was established in 1895 by Charles William Post (1854-1914, the pioneer in the prepared-food industry), and in 1988 merged into Kraft Foods Inc (now Kraft Heinz Co).

The vessel also served as a weather ship for the USCG (United States Coast Guard) and the US Navy during WW2 (1939-45). Following World War 2, the boat served as a private superyacht for many influential people, including as Dominicana's presidential yacht. Sea Cloud 1 was the first racially integrated US warship.

The boat is very much like a private shelter and boasts some of the most appealing cabins and public rooms at sea.

Decks and Cabins

MV Sea Cloud has 3 decks and only 32 cabins in 8 grades, all of which are outside staterooms. Cabins as types and sizes vary considerably. All upper-grade cabins are with antique furniture and marble bathrooms with bathtubs. All staterooms are without TVs.

All cabins offer as standard amenities large wardrobe, electronic safe box (in the closet), dressing table / writing desk with chair, nightstand (bedside cabinet with 2 drawers), hairdryer, individually controlled air-conditioning, en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, marble sink top, gold-plated fixtures, razor socket), non-opening windows (half-height or Porthole).

Shipboard facilities and amenities

Sea Cloud Restaurants and food bars include Restaurant (open seating), Lido Deck (al fresco buffet, live music, Crew Shanty Choir). Food and service are exceptional, and meals are often served on deck. Dinner is served in the original dining room three times a week, from a fixed menu. Menus have a European influence, though the cuisine is sometimes tempered by the nationality of guests onboard. The most exciting part of the day is an afternoon snack on the Promenade Deck. The baker prepares a new treat each day, including waffles with ice cream, an elaborate afternoon tea or crepes to order. Complimentary wine flows freely at meals.

The most remarkable feature of this luxury yacht is its 4 masts, 29 sails and a tangled web of lines stretching 54 m skyward to support the rigging. Unlike the modern, computer-operated sail ships, all sails on Sea Cloud 1 are manually-served - by the 18 crew performing dazzling acrobatics, suspended over the ocean.

Ship's lounges and bars include Lido Bar, Lounge (featuring selected picture books, literature, board games, a writing desk with a laptop). Other facilities include Lobby area (Reception, Purser), Hospital, zodiac boats, "Fun Island" (sledding via inflatable water sleds).

Itineraries

Sea Cloud 1 schedule calendar includes cruises in the Caribbean and Mediterranean (departing from Piraeus-Athens Greece and Dubrovnik Croatia ), under contract to National Geographic Society. The yacht is also often privately chartered.

Following the Coronavirus crisis, Sea Cloud 1 became Sea Cloud Cruises' first boat to restart passenger shipping in 2021 - on August 27, leaving out of Piraeus-Athens.

For 2023, with Sea Cloud Lindblad introduced two new Mediterranean itineraries: the 10-day "Extraordinary Adriatic: Croatia and Slovenia Under Sail" (August 17, 2023, from US$14670 pp with double occupancy/from  Venice Italy to Dubrovnik Croatia) and the 16-day "Sailing the Western Mediterranean: Spain to Corsica" (April 19, 2023, from US$25,170 pp/from  Lisbon Portugal  to Naples Italy ).

Sea Cloud - user reviews and comments

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Sea Cloud ship related cruise news

Sea Cloud Cruises presents authentic itineraries in its 2024 brochure

Sea Cloud Cruises has unveiled its 2024 brochure titled "Authentic Sailing Journeys," offering a comprehensive overview of the experience on board...

Sea Cloud Cruises 2024 - new routes, destinations, and concepts

For the year 2024, Sea Cloud Cruises/fleet has expanded its offerings beyond its well-established art, culture, and culinary trips. The company has...

Sea Cloud Cruises' tall ships continue sailing into the heart of Venice (Italy)

Sea Cloud Cruises fleet will again steer a course for Venice Italy's historic downtown in 2023. Unlike large vessels, Sea Cloud's tall-sailing ships...

Sea Cloud Cruises remains an independent cruise line

Sea Cloud Cruises revealed that Marriott International Inc (the parent company of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection via The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company...

Lindblad Expeditions updates Health & Safety protocols

Lindblad Expeditions updated its health & safety protocols with the first changes effective on sailings departing September 1st/later. As the...

Lindblad unveils 2 new cruise itineraries for Sea Cloud sailship

Lindblad Expeditions announced 2 new itineraries for the 58-passenger sailship Sea Cloud. On the new voyages, tourists will discover the Adriatic...

Port Bastia (Corsica France) welcomes a double call with tall-sail cruise ships Royal Clipper and...

Port Bastia (Corsica Island, France) welcomed a double ship call with Star Clippers' Royal Clipper and Ritz-Carlton's Sea Cloud. Both tall-sailing...

Sea Cloud Cruises cancels this year’s Saint Petersburg (Russia) calls of Sea Cloud Spirit

Sea Cloud Cruises announced the line had cancelled this year’s Saint Petersburg (Russia) calls of its new ship Sea Cloud Spirit. The Hamburg...

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection to purchase Sea Cloud Cruises

The maritime investment firm behind the Ritz-Carlson Yacht Collection, The Yacht Portfolio, signed a letter of intent (LoI) to purchase Sea Cloud...

Sea Cloud Cruises cancels its Caribbean season due to COVID

For the 2nd year in a row, the German line Sea Cloud Cruises (fleet) canceled its Caribbean season due to the COVID crisis. According to the company...

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Other Sea Cloud Cruises cruise ships

• Sea Cloud 2
• Sea Cloud Spirit

Sea Cloud Wiki

Under Captain Sergej Komakin, the ship Sea Cloud sailed approx 4260 km (2650 mi) without its engines - being powered only by the wind and cruising 17 days only under its 30 sails (total surface 2970 m2 / 32000 ft2). Only at ~160 km (100 mi) from Santo Domingo, the diesel engines were powered to support the remaining voyage. The 17-day Transatlantic crossing (itinerary December 3-20, 2019, from Praia, Santiago Island Cape Verde to Santo Domingo Dominicana ) was attended by 53 passengers and 60 staff/crew. During the ocean crossing, Sea Cloud maintained speeds 15-20 knots (28-37 kph / 17-23 mph).

In 2021, the 4-masted sailship restarted passenger operations under the command of Captain John Svendsen.

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SY A Yacht, IMO 1012141

Where is the current position of sy a presently vessel sy a is a yacht ship sailing under the flag of sierra leone . her imo number is 1012141 and mmsi number is 667002036. main ship particulars are length of 142 m and beam of 25 m. maps show the following voyage data - present location, next port, estimated (eta) and predicted time of arrival (pta), speed, course, draught, photos, videos, local time, utc time..

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SY A current position is received by AIS. Ship info reports, fleet analysis, company analyses, address analyses, technical specifications, tonnages, management details, addresses, classification society data and all other relevant statistics are derived from Marine Vessel Traffic database. The data is for informational purposes only and Marine Vessel Traffic is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of data reported above herein.

Aid ship offloading cargo into Gaza; Israel to continue negotiating over cease-fire

Israel’s government warned that Hamas “is continuing to hold to unrealistic demands” as it prepared to review the latest cease-fire proposal Friday. A ship carrying 200 tons of food — the first attempt to deliver aid by way of a maritime corridor — began offloading its cargo into Gaza on Friday. The boat left Cyprus earlier this week, dispatched by the U.S. nonprofit World Central Kitchen, founded by celebrity chef José Andrés , and the Spanish search-and-rescue group Open Arms.

• At least 20 killed, 150 injured in attack on crowd awaiting aid in Gaza
• Muslims gather at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem for tense Ramadan prayers
• Israel says Hamas has ‘unrealistic demands’ as cease-fire proposal is put forward

Here's what to know:

Here's what to know, live coverage contributors 18.

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• Is Gaza heading into famine? How experts define that grim term. March 18, 2024 Is Gaza heading into famine? How experts define that grim term. March 18, 2024
• White House says Israel lacks ‘coherent and sustainable strategy’ in Gaza March 18, 2024 White House says Israel lacks ‘coherent and sustainable strategy’ in Gaza March 18, 2024
• Israeli forces raid Gaza City hospital; U.S. confirms death of top Hamas leader March 18, 2024 Israeli forces raid Gaza City hospital; U.S. confirms death of top Hamas leader March 18, 2024

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Israel-Gaza war

Israel-Gaza war: Israel’s military said it was carrying out a “precise operation” at Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital , citing Israeli intelligence that the complex was being used by senior Hamas militants. The Gaza Health Ministry said communications were cut and reported people killed or injured. Meanwhile, at least half the population in Gaza is facing what the United Nations has repeatedly described as “ famine-like conditions .”

Middle East conflict: Tensions in the region continue to rise. As Israeli troops aim to take control of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, officials in Cairo warn that the move would undermine the 1979 peace treaty. Meanwhile, there’s a diplomatic scramble to avert full-scale war between Israel and Lebanon .

U.S. involvement: U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria killed dozens of Iranian-linked militants , according to Iraqi officials. The strikes were the first round of retaliatory action by the Biden administration for an attack in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members .

Israel-Hamas war: U.S. intelligence report suggests Netanyahu's far-right government may be in jeopardy

What we know.

• A U.S. intelligence report cast doubt on the future of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government, suggesting it may be replaced by more moderate leadership. The assessment also included a relatively pessimistic outlook on the results of Israel’s military aims in the Gaza Strip.
• A ship carrying 200 tons of food aid to Gaza left a port in Cyprus this morning, the first to set sail as part of an effort by the U.S. and allies to open a maritime humanitarian corridor and bring relief to a population that aid groups say is on the brink of famine.
• The Israeli military said it is still trying to confirm whether it killed one of Hamas' top commanders in an airstrike on an underground compound in central Gaza over the weekend. Marwan Issa is believed to be the militant group's No. 3.
• The start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in much of the world has focused attention on Jerusalem , where there is rising concern about tensions around the Al-Aqsa mosque.
• The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 31,000 , according to the enclave's Health Ministry, including at least 25 people who have died of starvation . The Israeli military said at least 247 soldiers have been killed since the ground invasion of Gaza began.

13-year-old killed by Israeli forces after lighting firework, Palestinian office in Jerusalem says

Israeli forces shot and killed Rami Hamdan Al-Halhouli, a 13-year-old boy, at a refugee camp near East Jerusalem tonight after he lit a firework, the Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate said on Facebook.

Israel's police said in a statement that officers were involved in a "violent disturbance" at the Shuafat refugee camp in which fireworks and Molotov cocktails were shot at security forces. During the incident, police said, a border officer fired a shot at a "suspect who endangered the forces while firing aerial fireworks in their direction."

Police gave NBC News the same statement in response to requests for comment on the death and a video of the purported incident.

The Jerusalem Governorate posted video of the incident on Facebook, showing a boy firing a firework directly in the air. Tonight is the second night of Ramadan, and it is not uncommon to light fireworks during the holy month after Muslims break their fast.

A second video posted to the page appears to show him on the ground with his mother running to him and screaming.

According to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, a team was called to the camp at 8:20 p.m. local time. A boy who was shot with live ammunition and taken by the Red Crescent to an Israeli emergency services ambulance so he could be transferred to a hospital in Jerusalem with an intensive care unit.

He was alive when he was transferred, spokesperson Nebal Farsakh told NBC News. Farsakh said the Red Crescent learned about the boy's death from the Jerusalem Governorate's official announcement.

Columbia accused in new lawsuit of singling out 2 pro-Palestinian groups by suspending them after protest

The Associated Press

The New York Civil Liberties Union is suing Columbia University over its decision last fall to suspend two student groups that protested Israel’s conduct  in the Gaza war .

The lawsuit, announced today, accuses the Ivy League school of violating its own rules by suspending the groups, Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, a day after their Nov. 9 campus protest sponsored by more than 20 groups. The next day, the two groups were suspended for allegedly violating university policy and were given no opportunity to respond to the charges or contest them, the lawsuit says.

The protest came in the heated weeks after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, which sparked the war and Israel’s subsequent ground invasion of Gaza, when demonstrations were organized by both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel students at Columbia and on other U.S. campuses . Students on both sides complained of harassment and bias incidents.

Columbia had said in a statement that the Nov. 9 demonstration “included threatening rhetoric and intimidation.” The two groups’ suspensions, which are still in effect, ban them from holding on-campus events or getting school funding. The lawsuit, filed by the NYCLU and Palestine Legal, an advocacy organization, seeks to nullify the suspensions “and related relief.”

U.S. asks Hamas to release women, elderly hostages for longer cease-fire

WASHINGTON — The White House urged Hamas militants in Gaza to release women, elderly and wounded hostages and accept a temporary cease-fire in the fighting with Israel in order to secure a more lasting one.

“A cease-fire is on the table today, for six weeks, to be built on into something more enduring if Hamas would simply release women, wounded and elderly,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters.

Israel has accepted the terms of a six-week cease-fire in exchange for the release of some of the hostages held by Hamas since its Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed.

Hamas says it will accept a deal based only on a permanent cease-fire that ends the war and includes an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, rather than another temporary truce. Under the most recent proposal, Israel would release Palestinian prisoners at a 10-to-1 ratio to the number of Hamas hostages held.

Hamas took at least 200 hostages on Oct. 7. During a weeklong truce in late November, it freed more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages in exchange for Israel’s releasing about 240 Palestinian prisoners.

“We’re determined to try to generate a cease-fire where at least six weeks with the hostages coming out and then try to build on that into something more enduring, but I can’t make any predictions about where this will lie,” Sullivan said.

In a video address to the pro-Israel organization AIPAC in Washington, D.C., Netanyahu also claimed Israel has “taken measures to minimize civilian casualties that no other army has taken in history.”

Biden mourns the death of American Israeli soldier

Doha Madani

Biden was "devastated" to learn of the death of Itay Chen, he said in a statement released today on behalf of himself and his wife.

Chen was a 19-year-old American Israeli soldier who was thought to have been held hostage in Gaza for six months. His family announced today that the Israel Defense Forces told them that he died Oct. 7 defending civilians on the Gaza border during the Hamas-led attack on the country.

No additional details were provided.

Biden recounted hosting Chen's father and brother at the White House in December, when they gifted him a menorah, "a solemn reminder that light will always dispel the darkness and evil will not win." He said he joined in their grief.

"And I reaffirm my pledge to all the families of those still held hostage: We are with you," Biden said. "We will never stop working to bring your loved ones home."

Israel's national security minister calls for war against Hezbollah

Israeli National Security Minister Ben Gvir, who has been rebuked by U.S. officials in the past, called for Israel to go to war against Hezbollah in a video posted to his X account today.

Gvir appeared to taunt Defense Minister Yoav Gallant directly after the Israel Defense Forces said 100 rockets were launched from Lebanon into Israel today. According to the IDF, all of the rockets were intercepted.

"What are you waiting for?" Gvir said. "More than 100 missiles, 100 launches on the State of Israel and you sit quietly?"

He went on to say it was time to start attacking and added, "War, now."

Gvir, one of the more hard-line members of Israel's government, is known for his incendiary comments. He was convicted of anti-Arab incitement in 2007 and was previously a member of an extremist Israeli group listed by the U.S. as a terrorist organization.

The U.S. State Department released a statement at the start of the year rebuking Gvir and another minister for their comments urging Israel to resettle Gaza, a position other Israeli officials have rejected. The State Department described that rhetoric as "inflammatory and irresponsible."

'True failure is not trying,' José Andrés says of complex mission to deliver aid by sea

Kristen Welker

Chef José Andrés described his organization's mission to deliver 200 tons of food into Gaza by sea as a "highly complex situation." World Central Kitchen, which Andrés founded in 2010, has partnered with a Spanish charity to send the aid from Cyprus by water, and the first ship left today. Because ports in Gaza have been destroyed during the war, the World Central Kitchen team has to build a jetty to make the mission possible.

Andrés cautioned that though he considers the ship's departure an achievement, failure is still possible.

"But what we cannot do is fail the people of Gaza," Andrés said. "That will be the true failure is not trying. So we're trying, and I hope that in few days we can say we had little success and from that success."

5,280 pounds of aid dropped into Gaza in U.S.-Jordan joint operation

The U.S. carried out another airdrop of aid into Gaza with the assistance of the Jordanian government, the U.S. Department of Defense and the office of Jordanian prime minister confirmed today.

According to U.S. Central Command, 5,280 pounds of flour, rice, pasta and canned goods were dropped into northern Gaza this afternoon.

Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh said five airdrops were completed today, including one with aid from Egypt and another from Belgium.

"The number of airdrops carried out by the Jordanian Armed Forces — the Arab Army — since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, has increased to 40 Jordanian airdrops, and 49 airdrops in cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries," Khasawneh said.

Cease-fire deal still possible, CIA director says

Dan De Luce

CIA Director William Burns told the House Intelligence Committee today that there is still a chance for a cease-fire agreement in Gaza, despite the recent difficulties in negotiations.

“I think there’s still a possibility,” he said. “As long as there’s the smallest possibility, I think it’s essential for all of us to do everything we can.”

Discussions have been taking place for months involving the release of hostages and an influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza. President Joe Biden previously seemed optimistic that such an agreement would be in place by the start of Ramadan; when that failed, he continued to express hope that one might be forthcoming.

Burns said the alternatives to a cease-fire are worse for both Palestinian civilians and hostages held by Hamas. He described the negotiations as a “very tough process” and added that the lack of an agreement “won’t be for lack of trying on our part.”

A framework exists for a deal that would include a six-week pause in hostilities, but Israel and Hamas blame each other for the lack of consensus. Hamas officials have pushed for a permanent cease-fire, rather than a temporary truce.

Netanyahu tells AIPAC leaders that Israel must invade Rafah

Netanyahu today asserted that Israel needed to invade Rafah in remarks made via video conference to leaders of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC.

“To win this war, we must destroy the remaining Hamas battalions in Rafah,” he said. “If not, Hamas will regroup, rearm and reconquer Gaza and then we’re back to square one.”

Although Netanyahu expressed gratitude for U.S. support in the war, he appeared to push back against President Joe Biden, who expressed to MSNBC this weekend that an invasion of Rafah could be a "red line" for his administration.

U.S. officials have urged Israel to draft a comprehensive plan to safeguard more than a million civilians residing in Rafah, many of whom fled to the southern border city under the assurance that it would be a safe zone.

Netanyahu also told AIPAC that Israel is unified against the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, even though the United Nations, U.S. and many other countries support a two-state solution.

Israelis, he said, "overwhelmingly oppose the idea of having a Palestinian state rammed down our throat."

Like other political action committees, AIPAC holds significant influence in Washington. Reuters reported today that the congressional group Justice Democrats and the Democratic Socialists of America have formed a "Reject AIPAC" coalition in an attempt to pressure Democrats to decline endorsements and contributions from the pro-Israel lobbying group.

Families living in the ruins of Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp describe their daily struggles to find enough food to stay alive in the wake of Israel’s military offensive.

Communications blackout in southern Gaza

Kevin Collier

A communications blackout has swept the southern half of Gaza, hitting populated areas such as Khan Younis and Rafah, according to NetBlocks, an organization that monitors internet connectivity around the world.

The group, which focuses on cyber equity, said this is the second time this month that Gaza has been hit with a connectivity disruption.

Dutch groups sue government over Israel arms sales in growing trend

A group of Danish organizations have filed a lawsuit against the government over arms exports to Israel, making Denmark at least the third country to face such a suit since the start of the war.

Similar lawsuits have been filed in Canada and the Netherlands.

The Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq filed the new suit along with the Danish branches of Amnesty International, Oxfam and Action Aid, according to a release from Amnesty International. It demands that the Danish government stop sales of parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel.

According to the groups, there is a risk that the parts will be "used to commit serious crimes against civilians in Gaza, violating international arms trade rules and risking complicity in violations of international humanitarian law — including war crimes — and a plausible genocide in Gaza."

The lawsuit in Canada, filed by pro-Palestinian groups last week, similarly demanded the country's government stop exports of military goods and technology to Israel. And last month, a Dutch court ruled that the Netherlands had to stop exports of F-35 parts to Israel over concerns they would be used in violation of international law.

Israel has denied that it is violating international law, alleging that Hamas uses civilians as human shields, thereby complicating Israel's military campaign.

In a case at the International Court of Justice, South Africa has accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The ICJ ordered Israel to take all measures to prevent a genocide and ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians.

World Food Program says convoy has reached northern Gaza for first time in weeks

Roughly three weeks since the World Food Program last distributed aid in northern Gaza, a convoy was able to deliver food for 25,000 people in the area, the organization said on X.

"With people in northern Gaza on the brink of famine, we need deliveries every day + we need entry points directly into the north," the WFP said.

The organization has at times temporarily suspended aid deliveries to northern Gaza over the last two months, saying that a combination of delays at military checkpoints and civil disorder as desperate people take supplies created unsafe situations for its staff. Last week, the World Food Program also said one of its convoys was denied access to the northern area of the enclave by the Israel Defense Forces after a three-hour wait at a checkpoint.

Gaza death toll rises to 31,184 since Oct. 7, Health Ministry says

Mithil Aggarwal

At least 31,184 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its military assault following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks, the enclave's Health Ministry said in a statement today, and well over 72,000 people have been injured.

In the last 24 hours alone, the ministry said, at least 72 people were killed.

The ministry added that 27 people have died because of malnutrition and dehydration.

NBC News has not independently verified the numbers.

Netanyahu's far-right government unlikely to stay in power, U.S. intelligence report says

Netanyahu’s ability to stay in power may be in doubt, according to an annual assessment of worldwide threats from the U.S. intelligence community. The assessment suggested that a more moderate government could end up succeeding his hard-line coalition.

“Netanyahu’s viability as leader as well as his governing coalition of far-right and ultraorthodox parties that pursued hardline policies on Palestinian and security issues may be in jeopardy,” the assessment said.

The report also raised questions about Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas, saying that the country will likely face a yearslong fight against the Palestinian militants.

Although the analysis of Netanyahu’s political difficulties resembled a widely held view among commentators in and outside of Israel, it was unusual for the American intelligence agencies to share such a candid assessment of an allied government’s political prospects.

“Distrust of Netanyahu’s ability to rule has deepened and broadened across the public from its already high levels before the war, and we expect large protests demanding his resignation and new elections,” the report stated.

The assessment coincides with growing tension between the Biden administration and Netanyahu’s government, with the White House expressing alarm over the high civilian death toll in Gaza.

The intelligence report is being presented to lawmakers this week at hearings in the Senate and House. It includes a relatively pessimistic outlook on the results of Israel’s military aims in Gaza.

"Israel probably will face lingering armed resistance from HAMAS for years to come, and the military will struggle to neutralize HAMAS’s underground infrastructure, which allows insurgents to hide, regain strength, and surprise Israeli forces,” the assessment said.

'Ramadan feels different' amid painful war, Blinken says

Abigail Williams

Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza in a statement wishing Muslims a blessed Ramadan.

"This pain is felt acutely by Muslims around the world, and so this year, Ramadan feels different," Blinken said. "The humanitarian situation in Gaza is heartbreaking."

He added that the U.S. is working urgently to broker a cease-fire deal and to get sustained aid into the enclave. The Biden administration will continue to pursue an independent Palestinian state, Blinken said, in which Palestinians share equal measures of "freedom, dignity, security, and prosperity" with Israelis.

"Peace is possible, it is necessary, and it is urgent," he said.

American Israeli family's 'hearts are broken' after learning soldier died Oct. 7

The family of an American Israeli soldier said today that their “hearts are broken,” after they were notified by the Israeli military that he was killed by Hamas Oct. 7.

“We loved him so much, and we would have done anything to bring him home alive,” Itay Chen’s family said in a statement.

The Israel Defense Forces told them that Chen was killed “defending civilians on the border of Gaza,” the statement said, adding: “He was 19 years old and he was an American citizen, as well as a citizen of the State of Israel.”

The family described Chen as a “a fun-loving, bright light for his family and friends and a talented basketball player who loved shooting hoops with his brothers.” They said they had “come to know all of the families who are waiting for their loved ones, and we will not stop working until every single hostage comes home.”

More aid airdropped into Gaza

Max Butterworth

Images taken from Israel’s southern border show a military aircraft dropping humanitarian aid into the northern Gaza Strip today.

Permanent cease-fire deal 'not near,' Qatar says

A deal to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages is “not near,” a spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry said today.

Majed Al-Ansari said in a news conference in Qatar’s capital, Doha, that his country remains “hopeful” that an agreement can eventually be reached.

His comments came as Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met with the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, Barbara Leaf, in Doha today.

Gaza faces 'humanitarian catastrophe,' European Commission president says

Henry Austin

The ship currently traveling from Cyprus to Gaza carries" food for a population that faces a humanitarian catastrophe," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today.

She told the European Parliament that the maritime corridor could "crucially help increase the amount of aid effectively reaching people in northern Gaza."

Aid truck turned back because it had scissors for children's medical kits, UNRWA chief says

A truck carrying aid for Gaza was “turned back because it had scissors used in children’s medical kits,” the commissioner general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said in a post on X yesterday.

Medical scissors are now added to a long list of banned items that Israeli authorities classify as “for dual use,” Philippe Lazzarini said. “The list includes basic and lifesaving items: from anesthetics, solar lights, oxygen cylinders and ventilators, to water cleaning tablets, cancer medicines and maternity kits.”

Open Arms: First aid ship sets sail for Gaza after delays

Richard Engel NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent, Host of MSNBC's "On Assignment with Richard Engel"

LARNACA, Cyprus — After weeks of preparation, detailed Israeli inspections and repeated delays, an aid ship carrying food left from the port of Larnaca in Cyprus this morning bound for Gaza. 

The ship, named Open Arms after the Spanish nongovernmental organization that owns it, set sail on the mission run by the U.S.-based charity World Central Kitchen, which hopes it will pave the way for a new maritime aid corridor.

It’s only about 200 miles from Cyprus to Gaza — but because the vessel is towing a barge loaded with rice, flour, beans and canned meat and fish, it will travel about 3 miles per hour. The journey is expected to take days.

With so much desperation inside the enclave, aid trucks have been overrun and air drops, which have limited capacity, turned deadly last week. Medical officials said last week that five people had been crushed to death by pallets of food.

Hezbollah fires dozens of rockets at Israel after IDF jets strike deep into Lebanon

Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based militant group, said today that it had fired more than 100 Katyusha rockets at several northern Israeli military posts in response to Israeli strikes of the Beqaa Valley region the previous night.

The Israeli military said no "damage or casualties were immediately reported," after it detected "approximately 100 rocket launches" from Lebanon.  

In a separate statement, the IDF confirmed that its fighter jets had struck two Hezbollah sites in the Beqaa Valley, which lies deep in Lebanon's center.

"The sites belong to Hezbollah’s aerial forces that planned and carried out various attacks against the State of Israel," the statement said.

Houthi rebels fired missiles at container ship, CENTCOM says

Yemen's Houthi rebels fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a Liberian-flagged container ship in the Red Sea but did not hit the vessel, U.S. Central Command said today.

Yahya Sarea, a spokesperson for the group, previously said that the group had hit the Pinocchio, which he called "American." But according to shipping databases operated by Equasis and the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization, the container ship is Liberian-flagged and owned by a Singapore-registered company.

The incident came after CENTCOM said it conducted six self-defense strikes on Houthi controlled areas of Yemen yesterday. An unmanned underwater vessel and 18 anti-ship missiles were destroyed, CENTCOM said, adding that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region.

Gaza aid ship sets sail from Cypus port

An Open Arms aid vessel, pictured here in the Cypriot port of Larnaca yesterday, set sail this morning for Gaza.

The ship is carrying 200 tons of food aid provided by World Central Kitchen as part of a pilot project to open a new maritime humanitarian corridor.

Rising concerns over tensions in east Jerusalem as Ramadan begins

Chantal Da Silva

JERUSALEM — The sun was shining over the streets of Jerusalem’s Old City today as the first full day of Ramadan began — but with no cease-fire in sight, the war in Gaza cast a heavy shadow over the start of the holy month, with fears of tensions rising around the revered Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli border police patrolled the streets of the Old City’s Muslim quarter — an area that is usually bustling with people and adorned with lights, lanterns and decorations during Ramadan.

It was markedly quiet, with no signs of celebration as small groups of worshippers made their way to Al-Aqsa, the third-holiest site in Islam, for noon prayers.

For Muslims around the world, Ramadan is “the most important month for us,” shopkeeper Jamil Halwani said. But this year, he added, the usual “joy of Ramadan,” a time of fasting, prayer, service, introspection and gathering, was absent.

Read the full story here.

Yacht, IMO 1010246

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The current position of LOON is at Caribbean Sea reported 0 min ago by AIS. The vessel is en route to CARIBBEAN , sailing at a speed of 0.1 knots and expected to arrive there on Mar 13, 19:30 . The vessel LOON (IMO 1010246, MMSI 319124900) is a Yacht built in 2010 (14 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Cayman Islands .

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Map position & weather, recent port calls, vessel particulars.

LOON current position and history of port calls are received by AIS. Technical specifications, tonnages and management details are derived from VesselFinder database. The data is for informational purposes only and VesselFinder is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of LOON data.