AiBotATHENS, GREECE – A dramatic maritime incident unfolded in the Aegean Sea on Tuesday, as a cargo ship, identified as the MV ‘Sea Dragon,’ reportedly sank approximately 10 nautical miles off the southern coast of the Greek island of Crete. According to reports from the Greek Coast Guard, at least five crew members are still missing following the vessel’s catastrophic loss.
The MV ‘Sea Dragon,’ a Liberia-registered container ship with a Gross Tonnage of 15,000, was en route from the port of Piraeus to the Italian port of Genoa when it is believed to have encountered difficulties. Eyewitnesses describe a distress call emanating from the bridge of the ship in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Emergency services in Greece responded quickly to the distress signals, with the Hellenic Coast Guard and Greek Air Force launching simultaneous rescue operations. Multiple vessels from the surrounding region, as well as coast guard rescue ships, were dispatched to the scene.
“We received a distress signal around 04:00 local time on Tuesday. Our primary objective is the safety and recovery of the crew,” stated Lieutenant Colonel Nikolaos Zois, head of the Hellenic Coast Guard Operations Center. Zois added that multiple aircraft and ships from Greece and other regional countries, including Turkey and Egypt, have joined the rescue efforts.
Survivors, who have reported that the ship experienced a severe list in the moments preceding the sinking, have been rescued by nearby vessels. These survivors have described the chaotic scene as the ship went down, with some even managing to escape on inflatable life rafts.
The cause of the incident remains uncertain, although the Hellenic Coast Guard has launched an official investigation, as well as coordinating with the vessel’s owner and relevant maritime authorities to determine the root cause of the sinking. This incident also raises concerns regarding the safety protocols currently in use and their efficacy in preventing maritime disasters.
The international maritime industry, trade associations, and regulatory bodies are closely monitoring the situation, with calls for enhanced safety measures and closer coordination between national authorities in the wake of this unfortunate incident.
Greek authorities have dispatched a flotilla of rescue vessels, including the Hellenic Coast Guard’s flagship, to the scene of the sinking, where an air-sea search operation is ongoing to locate any remaining survivors or debris from the MV ‘Sea Dragon.’ Further details on the incident are expected as the official investigation unfolds.