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Maritime Casualties--December 23, 2009

Published Jan 17, 2011 10:10 AM by The Maritime Executive

Rescue efforts continue after cargo ship sinks off Lebanese coast and Indian tanker repels attack

• Cargo Ship Sinks Off Lebanese Coast, 12 Dead

A Panamanian-flagged cargo ship, carrying more than 80 people and livestock, capsized and sank off the Lebanese coast last Thursday. Rescue efforts are continuing, with 40 survivors rescued but 30 are still missing and 12 bodies have been recovered from the water.

Local reports suggest officials are doubting any survivors are still at sea and have most likely perished, since inclement weather continued over the weekend while rescue operations were attempted.

The Dany II sent a distress signal at 3:55 p.m. after battling storms in the Mediterranean Sea and sank about 17 kilometers off Lebanon's northern port of Tripoli. The ship was carrying a multinational crew of 77, six additional passengers and transporting 18,000 cattle and 10,000 sheep from Uruguay's port Montevideo to the Syrian port of Tartous. Before the brutal waves engulfed the vessel, reports suggest the captain attempted to divert to dock in Beirut but failed and eventually went down with the ship.

Rescue operations are being conducted by the Lebanese navy, two civilian ships, two British helicopters from Cyrus and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFL). The UNIFL sent vessels from its Maritime Task Force and were giving medical treatment on board these vessels to recovered survivors. Rescue efforts conducted Sunday failed to recover any more survivors.
 

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• Indian Oil Tanker Foils Pirate Attack

An Indian oil tanker carrying crude oil was attacked by pirates in the Arabian Sea, 500 km off the western coast, late Monday night but successfully escaped unscathed.

The M T Maharaja Agrasen was transporting over 40 crew and 1.34 metric tonnes of crude oil from Min Al Ahmadi in Kuwait to Visakhapatnam. The vessel sent a distress signal around midnight, reporting they were under attack by eight unlit skiffs about 366 nautical miles west of Ratnagiri.

According to local reports, along with quick-thinking from the ship's captain and assistance from the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, the vessel sped away and escaped further attack. The ship is now sailing safely to its intended destination of Vishakapatnam.