A Comoros-flagged cargo ship with 14 people on board has sunk off the island of Lesbos in gale-force winds, the Greek coast guard said Sunday, prompting a major rescue operation.
The ship called Raptor had departed from Egypt loaded with salt, and the final destination was the port of Istanbul.
According to Proto Thema, the cargo ship suffered mechanical damage and then lost its mark.
Five floating cargo ships are already at the scene, while three seaplanes of the Air Force's and Navy's port helicopters are transiting. A navy frigate has also been activated in parallel.
No crew members have been located now, only some life jackets and a lifeboat.
At the moment, only one crew member has been found alive, and he was retrieved by the Hellenic Army helicopter.
The crew members include two Syrian nationals, four Indians and 8 Egyptians. The ship-owning company is based in Lebanon.
The Air Force & Navy are involved in search operations. One person has so far been rescued, but strong winds from Storm Oliver - which has been upgraded - are making operations difficult.
The Greek Meteorological Office stated that the winds in the area are going up to Force 11, which is around 50 mph.
As a result of the wind and the incident, most ferry connections between the Greek islands and the mainland have been cancelled.
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