Thirteen sailors are missing after a cargo ship sank about 4.5 nautical miles southwest of the island of Lesbos. As Greek Radio (ERT) reported on Sunday, citing the coast guard, the crew of a rescue helicopter was able to save one of the shipwrecked sailors. The freighter ‘Raptor’ had already sent out a distress signal on Sunday night and then sank under unclear circumstances. The report continued that the cargo must have been salt.
According to the maritime portal “Marinetraffic.com”, the ship was flying the flag of the island state of Comoros and was en route from Egypt to Istanbul. The crew members are said to come from Syria, India and Egypt. According to Greek media, passing ships, a Greek naval frigate and three coast guard boats took part in the large-scale rescue operation.
A heavy storm has been raging in southeastern Europe since Saturday. According to the Athens Meteorological Office (EMY), the wind gusts reach gusts of up to force eleven in some places. Almost all ferry services between the Greek islands and the mainland have been suspended. The strong winds should at least decrease in the region of the accident location during Sunday. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
