Padmesh Prabhune

A cargo ship with 14 crew members sank off the Greek island of Lesbos in stormy seas early Sunday November 26, leaving 4 Indians among those missing, and one Egyptian rescued.

The Greek coast guard said, “One person has died and 12 people were missing on Sunday after a cargo ship carrying salt with 14 crew on board, sank off the island of Lesbos, in Greece.”

The Comoros-flagged “Raptor” had departed from El Dekheila port in Egypt and was bound for Istanbul when it reported a mechanical failure and issued a distress call early on Sunday. “One body was recovered from the area,” a coast guard said, adding that one person was rescued by helicopter and taken to the island’s hospital.

According to reports. the Raptor, with a carrying capacity of its 6338 DWT, having an overall length(LOA) of106 metres, was carrying 6,000 tons of salt.

An operation is underway to find the remaining 13 members with eight merchant ships, two helicopters and one Greek Navy frigate. Three Coast Guard vessels had difficulty reaching the area because of rough seas. Northwesterly winds in excess of 80 kph (50 mph) per hour are blowing in the area as per the national weather service thereby causing delays in rescue operations.
Marex Media