Newsroom
Ten crew members were rescued after a Tanzanian-flagged commercial vessel began sinking approximately 90 nautical miles west of Paphos on Friday evening.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Larnaca received an alert at 8.15pm on October 30 concerning the vessel, identified as the AS DREAM, which was carrying 10 crew members at the time of the incident.
Cyprus authorities activated the national emergency response plan known as NEARCHOS, coordinating a rescue operation involving several military and civilian assets.
A helicopter from the National Guard's 460 Search and Rescue Squadron was dispatched, alongside the naval vessel AMMOCHOSTOS and the Port and Marine Police patrol boat PENTADAKTYLOS. The nearby commercial vessel MSC HANNAH III, which was sailing in the area, also assisted.
Under the direction of the Larnaca JRCC, all 10 crew members were safely transferred aboard the MSC HANNAH III before being collected by the PENTADAKTYLOS.
The patrol boat subsequently transported the survivors to Limassol Port, where ambulance service medical personnel examined them. All 10 were found to be in good health and were handed over to the relevant state authorities.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also notified the embassies concerned through diplomatic channels regarding the incident and the arrangements made for the rescued crew members.
The incident took place within the search and rescue region for which the Republic of Cyprus is responsible.
With information from JRCC Larnaca.
