General Cargo Ship Sinks in the Black Sea

A 1991-built, 6277 dwt  Russian general cargo vessel Elga-1, managed by Maritime Cargo Shipping, reportedly issued a distress signal in the evening hours of December 3, reporting that the engine room is taking in water through a broken stern gland, according to Russia’s Morskie Vesti.

Elga-1 was sailing from the Russian port of Temryuk to Varna, Bulgaria, laden with 6,000 tonnes of coal. At around 9 pm local time, offshore supply ship Sea Spider came to assist the distressed vessel.

At around 11 pm local time the ship’s master reported that the pumps were failing to contain the ingress of water into the flooded engine room, and ordered the ship to be evacuated.

13 crew members, all of Russian nationality, entered a life raft, and were picked up by Sea Spider. No injuries or oil spills have been reported so far. The crew was yesterday morning transported to Novorossiysk.

World Maritime News Staff