Reefer Collides With Trawler off Western Sahara, 11 Missing

[Brief] On Thursday night, the 3,500 dwt reefer Montelaura collided with the fishing trawler Al Akhawayn at a position about 35 nm off Dakhla, Western Sahara, according to Moroccan officials. 

The trawler, a local Moroccan vessel, sank after the collision. Five of its crew have been rescued and eleven are believed missing. A search is under way for any potential survivors. 

The 1977-built Montelaura is a reefer flagged in Panama. Her last port state control inspection in Puebla del Caramiñal, Spain was in early September; inspectors found that her gyrocompass was inoperable, her rescue boat was damaged and her fire pump generated insufficient pressure, according to her Equasis record. She was not detained. 

As of Friday night, the Montelaura was not involved in a search and was moored at Dakhla.