Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

crew feared dead

Haunting video released of capsized cargo ship

The eight men on board are all feared to have perished.

Video TheJournal.ie / YouTube

The RNLI released footage of the ship during the search for the crew (above).

EIGHT CREW MEMBERS onboard a cargo ship that sank off the coast of Scotland were presumed dead today, two days after the vessel capsized in stormy weather.

An extensive search effort involving aircraft and boats was suspended on Sunday evening and will not be restarted, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

“The search won’t be resumed,” a spokeswoman told AFP.

She said that vessels in the area were being asked to keep a look out, but conceded there was little chance that the crew had survived.

Seven Poles and one Filipino were on board the Cypriot-registered Cemfjord, a cargo ship carrying cement, when it capsized on Saturday around 15 miles (24 kilometres) from Wick on the northeast tip of Scotland.

scotland shetland RNLI / Twitter RNLI / Twitter / Twitter

An investigation is underway but Tony Redding, a spokesman for German shipping company Brise of Hamburg, which manages the ship, said the weather was likely to blame.

“We look for abnormalities and at the moment we don’t have any apart from the fact that there was severe weather at the time,” he said.

He added:

It will take some time to put the picture together because, sadly, we’re not in a position to interview the crew and the vessel is submerged in around 68 metres (223 feet) of water.

Built in 1984, the 83-metre vessel was last inspected in December.

It was carrying a cargo of 2,000 tonnes of cement from Aalborg in Denmark to Runcorn near Liverpool on the northwest English coast.

- © AFP, 2014

Read: Search resumes for crew of capsized cargo vessel off Scotland coast>

Your Voice
Readers Comments
9
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.