Four Indians Among 13 Crew Missing Members After Cargo Ship Sinks Near Greece

Representationl image.

New Delhi: Four Indians are among 13 crew members missing after a cargo ship sank off the Greek island of Lesbos in stormy seas early on Sunday. One person was rescued, authorities said.

The Raptor, registered in the Comoros, was on its way to Istanbul from Alexandria, Egypt, carrying 6,000 tons of salt, the coast guard said. It had a crew of 14, including eight Egyptians, four Indians and two Syrians, the coast guard said. The ship reported a mechanical problem at 7 a.m. Sunday, sent a distress signal and shortly after disappeared about 4 1/2 nautical miles (8 kilometers) southwest of Lesbos, authorities said, according to news reports.

One Egyptian was rescued, a Coast Guard spokeswoman told The Associated Press.

She said that eight merchant ships, two helicopters and one Greek navy frigate were searching for survivors. Three Coast Guard vessels had difficulty reaching the area because of rough seas, she added. The spokeswoman spoke on condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing and she wasn’t authorised to speak to the media, the report added.

Northwesterly winds in excess of 80 kph (50 mph) per hour are blowing in the area, the National Weather Service said.