Of the 14 crew members of the ship that sank in Greece, one was found alive and one dead, 12 people were missing (video)

The Raptor, registered in the Comoros Islands and sank in Greek waters, was heading to Istanbul, Turkey from Alexandria, Egypt, carrying 6,000 tons of salt, the coast guard said.

There were 14 people on board. Only one person has been saved so far – “he was found alive on a barrel.” The search operation continues in hurricane-force wind conditions. Earlier, a navy helicopter picked up the Egyptian sailor safe and he was taken to hospital, with coast guard spokesman Nikos Alexiou saying:

“He was found alive on a barrel, he was rescued by a helicopter and transported to Mytilene. The rescued man was in a state of shock and was taken to the island’s hospital.”

On the spot crashes With winds measuring 8 Beaufort and waves reaching 8 metres, the area has been stormy since Sunday afternoon. Life jackets were collected in the water, a Coast Guard spokesman said.

The ship departed from Deselia, Egypt, with a cargo of salt, and its final destination was the port of Constantinople. Due to the waves, water entered the holds, causing the cargo to become heavy.

The ship reported a mechanical problem and a list of the ship at 7am on Sunday, sent out a distress signal and disappeared soon after about 8km southwest of Lesvos. The crew consists of two Syrians, four Indians and seven Egyptians. The search operation involves aircraft, 8 merchant ships, 3 coast guard vessels, an Air Force helicopter, a Navy helicopter, and a Navy frigate. Chronicle of events:

1. At 3:06 am, 5.5 nautical miles southwest of Skala Eresu (Σκάλας Ερεσού), the cargo ship stopped, probably due to mechanical failure.
2. At 4:47 the ship’s engines start again.
3. At 7:11, 4 miles southwest of Scala Eresu, the ship’s engines stopped again. This is the last entry of his course in the system.
4. At 8:20 the ship listed. The captain broadcasts a “mayday, mayday” distress signal to passing ships and then disappears from radar.

According to first estimates, due to heavy seas, the cargo shifted, water entered the holds and the sinking of the ship was a matter of time.

Governor of the Northern Aegean Region Kostas Moutsouris said: “At the moment I have been informed that one survivor has been found. They found him on a barrel and took him to the hospital. The sea is still rough.” The head of the Bostanio hospital, Giorgos Kambouris, said that doctors caring for the sailor note that he is healthy and his life is not in danger.

A rescued Egyptian reported on Sunday that the Raptor, which sank off the island of Lesbos, began taking on water since Saturday evening:

“The boat has been taking on water since yesterday evening. We tried to bail out the water using buckets and other means we had on board. At one point, a hole appeared in the boat, the ship began to tilt dangerously, and then I jumped overboard. Then I saw 4-5 more people who also jumped into the water, and since then I haven’t seen them again.”

Source link