[ECNA] cordigliera sinks off port st johns | ma...@ecna.ru.ac.za | 11/14/96 12:00 AM | FROM EAST CAPE NEWS AGENCIES (ECNA) SUBS: To file in takes SHIPSINKS, SINKS2 ETC. Cordigliera sinks off Port St Johns: 23 feared dead GRAHAMSTOWN (14 November 1996 8.15) - Hope for 23 missing sailors is rapidly fading as bad weather sets in over the Transkei coast. Strong winds and heavy seas are hampering search efforts and five lifeboats from the 12 000-ton Panamanian-registered cargo ship Cordigliera have been found - without any sign of life. Chief radio operator at Durban Radio Lindsay Lines told Ecna this morning: "It looks like their is no hope at the moment that we will find any survivors." He said the Cordigliera sent a distress call to Durban Radio at 10:30 pm last night requesting immediate assitance due to a leak in a hold. Lines said the two nearest vessels to the Cordigliera, the Boundary and the Bunga Masatu, which were more than an 90 minutes away from the stricken vessel had responded to the mayday call. "The first lifeboat was found at 2am with nobody onboard. A second was found capsized and we later found three other empty lifeboats," Lines said. He said 25-30 winds, white horses and rain - as well as three to four metre swells were hampering the rescue operation. "We found lots of oil slicks and debri, but the ship has already sun. All this is taking place seven miles offshore," lines said. An airforce helicopter was dispatched to the scene to assist in the search. - Ecna. -- EAST CAPE NEWS AGENCIES East London - Port Elizabeth - Bisho - Umtata - Port Alfred - Grahamstown 109 High Street, Carlton Centre, Grahamstown, 6140 Email: ma...@ecna.ru.ac.za Phone: +27 461 311013 Fax: +27 461 311050 http://www.ecna.ru.ac.za/ |