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Cyprus Coordinates Rescue of Crew from Vessel with Checkered History

sinking vessel
AS Dream was sinking 90 nm west of Cyrpus (JRCC Larnaca)

By The Maritime Executive 2026-11-02 13:58:02

The authorities in Cyprus are reporting the successful rescue of 10 crewmembers from a small cargo ship sinking to the west of the island in their SAR region. An MSC containership aided in the rescue, removing the crew from a small cargo ship with a very checkered past.

The distress call was issued late on Friday night, October 30, while the vessel was approximately 90 nautical miles west of Cyprus. The rescue center reports it dispatched a SAR helicopter, a patrol vessel, and a rescue boat, and also notified the MSC Hanna III (48,658 dwt), which was in the area as it was sailing from Italy to Beirut, Lebanon. 

The 2,732-TEU containership reached the sinking vessel, AS Dream (2,319 dwt). The container vessel took the crew aboard. They were later transferred to the rescue boat from Cyprus and taken to the Limassol Port.

AS Dream has a very checkered past. Databases show it was identified with deficiencies on its past 17 port state inspections, dating back to 2012. In its last inspection in Egypt earlier this month, it was detained for a week with issues ranging from an inoperative radar to problems with its lifesaving equipment and communications equipment. 

AIS transmissions show the ship got back underway from Egypt on October 16, listing Galati, Romania, as its destination. There were 10 crewmembers aboard, with nine from India and one from Cameroon. 

Equasis lists the ship as having been sold in April 2025 and transferred to the flag of Tanzania. Its ownership is listed as a company in the Marshall Islands, and management is from Turkey.

The International Transport Workers' Federation filed an abandonment report dated September 1, 2025, with the International Labour Organization and the International Maritime Organization. The ITF reported it purchased diesel oil for generators and coordinated food and water supplies with the local customs officer. As of November 2025, it said there were eight crew aboard from Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, and Turkey, while two other crewmembers were listed as having "escaped." The issues were at least partially resolved, but the case is listed as “unresolved” in the ILO/IMO database.

The officials in Cyprus report that the crew that was rescued were in good health. It said the embassies were informed of the incident and arrangements were being made for the crew through diplomatic channels.