Cargo Vessel with 6 Crew Missing in Lakshadweep

Kochi, Nov 27 (The Hindu): A cargo ship with six crew members on board went missing in the rough Lakshadweep Sea near Amini Island on Saturday midnight, while another cargo vessel was rescued on Sunday mid-morning.

Lakshadweep authorities said four rescue boats have been put on the sea to trace the missing m.s. Al Akther, but the heavy winds and the rough sea hampered rescue operations.

The 160-tonne Al Akther that carried vegetables and fruits from Mangalore to the Amini Island is believed to have been caught in the rough sea after it unloaded most of the cargo on the island and was on its way to pick up a cargo of building materials from anther Island.

Lakshadweep authorities said they received news of the missing of Al Akther around 5 a.m. and had immediately pressed rescue boats into the sea. But because of the extremely violent waters and the foul winds, the boats could not sail far. However, they later made some headway, but could not trace the ship.

Meanwhile, another cargo ship, m.s. Al Faisal, which had sailed along with Al Akther and which had also got caught in the rough sea, could be rescued with the help of boats at about 10 a.m. Al Faisal had, to keep its balance on the violent sea, had thrown overboard a substantial amount of its cargo.

The names and other details of the six crew members of the missing ship were not immediately known.

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