Seven seafarers escape listing cargo ship off Lebanon

Seven seafarers jumped into the sea from the cargo ship MV Seahorse off Lebanon after the vessel began to list heavily. The ship was carrying timber from Turkey when water entered one of its holds. Lebanese rescue teams recovered the men. The captain had initially said that no assistance was needed but later requested help as the ship's list worsened. The Maritime Telegraph reports.

The Panama-flagged ship was built in 1997 and is about 100 metres long. Nine crew members, including the captain, stayed on board. One rescued seafarer reportedly went to hospital with injuries. Rescue teams found up to four metres of water in cargo hold No. 5. Pumping reduced the water level to about half a metre.

Authorities suspect a technical failure but have not confirmed the exact cause. Reports also mentioned shifting timber and possible grounding near Sidon. The ship's reported draught was nine metres, while the port's stated limit was eight metres. After pumping operations improved the vessel's condition, MV Seahorse reached Beirut on October 26. The crew began unloading the timber to help make the ship more stable.

 

Picture: Lebanese Civil Defence