Baku, October 28, AZERTAC
A rescue operation for the 18-member crew of the container ship CONTSHIP JET, which was hit by sea drones about 17 nautical miles east of Cape Kaliakra, has been successfully completed, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported citing the Transport and Communications Ministry.
The first to report the attack was Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov. The incident was reported to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Constanta at 12:01 p.m. today. The ship sails under the Liberian flag and was travelling from the Israeli port of Haifa to Constanta, Romania. According to the crew, it was carrying 421 containers.
At 12:13 p.m., the sailors abandoned the vessel, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation. Three vessels of the Bulgarian Navy and one of Border Police were sent to the area. At 12:53 p.m., eight crew members were taken aboard a Bulgarian Navy boat, while the remaining ten were in the container ship's lifeboat.
The entire crew was rescued and is on its way to Varna aboard a Bulgarian Navy vessel. Border Police officers and medical teams are waiting for them, the statement said.
The rescue operation was carried out through coordinated efforts by the Emergency Rescue Activities unit of the Maritime Administration, the Bulgarian Navy and Air Force, and Border Police.
Transport and Communications Minister Georgi Peev thanked the teams involved in the operation for their professionalism and swift response in rescuing the sailors.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications added that the operation had focused on protecting human life and safely evacuating the crew from the dangerous situation.
Source: azertag.az
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