Grot-Rowecki

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The General Grot-Rowecki is a freighter which collided with the French chemical tanker Ece in the English Channel on January 31, 2006.

Built in 1985, she was named after Stefan Grot-Rowecki, a Polish general in the Second World War. The 23,000 tonne, 198-metre cargo ship is owned by the Polish Steamship Company and registered in Malta.

At the time of the collision, the General Grot-Rowecki was en route to the port of Police, Poland, while the 8,131 tonne, 126-metre Ece was bound for Ghent, Belgium. They collided approximately 30 miles northwest of Guernsey. The General Grot-Rowecki was not seriously damaged, and its 21 crew members were unhurt. However, the collision led to the sinking of the Ece and the release of 10,000 tonnes of phosphoric acid into the Channel. The Ece's crew, numbering 22 members, was rescued by lifeboat and helicopter in a joint English and French operation.