Cargo ship sinks off Greek island of Lesvos, with 13 crew members missing, 1 rescued

Freighter owned by Lebanon-based company and operating under Comoros Islands flag, was carrying 14 sailors, including 1 Indian, 11 Egyptians, and 2 Syrians, reports media

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Thirteen crew members went missing and one was rescued after a cargo ship presumably sank off the Greek island of Lesvos in the Aegean Sea early Sunday, local media reported.

The freighter, which was sailing under the Comoros Islands flag and managed by a company based in Lebanon, was carrying salt from Egypt to Istanbul, Türkiye, and may have sunk due to rough seas in the Aegean, the state-run AMNA news agency reported.

Early assessments indicated that the ship encountered a rough sea in the Aegean, with northwesterly winds measuring 8 on the Beaufort scale, and may have begun taking in water.

The cargo ship had 14 crew members on board, including one Indian, 11 Egyptians, and two Syrians.

The ship reported a mechanical failure at 7 a.m. local time (0500GMT), the news agency said, adding that at 8.20 a.m. local time (0620GMT), the captain activated the "mayday, mayday" emergency call to nearby ships.

The ship then disappeared from radar, the media outlet said.

While one crew was rescued, search and rescue efforts for 13 sailors are underway, with the assistance of a Greek warship, three port authority boats, a helicopter, and five cargo ships in the area, according to the news agency.

Kaynak:

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