Maritime Casualties--November 25, 2009
Greek ship crew repel pirate attack, pirate attack kills Ukranian seamen and Indonesian ferry sinks
• Somali pirates attempt to seize Greek bulk carrier
A Greek-owned bulk carrier was reportedly seized in the Gulf of Aden last Thursday, 36 nautical miles from the Yemeni port Balhaf but repelled the attack despite reports.
Managed by Sekur Holdings, based in Piraeus, Greece, the Red Sea Spirit, was sailing in the Gulf of Aden with a crew of 22 Filipinos and a shipment of cement. The managing company was not confirming the ship had been hijacked when the news broke last Sunday night.
According to authorities, the pirates attempted to board the ship but were evaded with the superior skill of the vessel's crew. Red Sea Spirit avoided capture and was en route to it's intended destination, Karachi. All crew are reported as alive and well.
• Ukranian killed in pirate attack
A Monrovia-flagged oil tanker was attacked by a gang of pirates off the coast of west Africa Monday night and one crew member is reportedly dead.
The 23-metre long tanker, Cancale Star had about 24 seamen on board the vessel and it was unclear whether pirates were still aboard the ship. The chief mechanic responsible for the engines, is reported dead. The captain is reportedly unharmed. A navy patrol had been sent to investigate.
Initial reports suggested the commander may have been killed, his deputy was seriously wounded and one of the pirates was overpowered, however the situation on board was still unclear.
• At least 29 dead after Indonesian ferry sinks
A heavily-loaded ferry sank off the Indonesian coast Sunday, in the busy Malacca Straits between Indonesia and Malaysia. More than 200 people were rescued, at least 29 are dead and about 17 are still missing.
The ferry rolled over and capsized after 90 minutes into an inter-island trip from Batam to Dumai in Riau, a province off Sumatra island in western Indonesia. The Dumai Express 10 sank about 30 minutes after massive waves, as high as six metres, damaged its bow and water began to seep in, according to a local report.
According to the ferry manifest, about 240 people were on board, but other officials recovered the actual number was over 280. They are still unsure if anyone is still inside the ferry which is now completely submerged, because local rescue efforts were hampered by inclement weather.