A CARGO ship registered under the flag of Vanuatu sank north of the Greek Island of Andros in the early hours of May 7 following a grounding incident.
All nine crew members of the Corsage C were rescued, and two of the crew have been placed under arrest.
Greek authorities, including the Hellenic Coast Guard and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, responded to the incident. Four coast guard patrol vessels, three passing commercial ships, a fishing boat, and an air force helicopter also proceeded to the location.
The vessel was enroute from Croatia to Ukraine. Its crew consisted of eight Turkish nationals and one from Azerbaijan. Weather conditions at the time of the grounding were reported to be favourable, with light to moderate winds (Beaufort force 3-4).
After the ship ran aground, it began taking on water and eventually sank. Two crew members were pulled from the sea by a coast guard patrol vessel. The remaining seven were found safe on a rocky shoreline and were later taken to the port of Andros.
As a precaution, the crew were transported by ambulance to the Andros Health Centre for medical checks. In response to potential environmental threats, two anti-pollution vessels and additional patrol boats equipped with containment gear deployed a floating barrier around the site.
The Port Authority of Andros has opened a preliminary investigation. Authorities arrested the 52-year-old Turkish captain and the 32-year-old Turkish officer who was on watch at the time of the incident. They face charges including negligence, endangering common safety, and causing a shipwreck under the Greek penal code.
Source: World Ports.Org
