Cargo ship sinks off Greek island, 4 Indians missing

Athens, November 26

A cargo ship sank off the Greek island of Lesbos in stormy seas early on Sunday, leaving 13 crew members, including four Indians, missing and one rescued, authorities said.

The Raptor was on its way to Istanbul from Alexandria, Egypt, carrying 6,000 tonnes of salt, the coast guard said. It had a crew of 14, including eight Egyptians, four Indians and two Syrians, the guard said.

The ship reported a mechanical problem at 7 am, sent a distress signal and shortly after it disappeared about 4 1/2 nautical miles southwest of Lesbos.

One Egyptian was rescued, a coast guard spokeswoman said. She said eight merchant ships, two helicopters and one Greek navy frigate were searching for survivors. Three coast guard vessels had difficulty reaching the area due to rough seas, she added.