Dubai: A cargo ship bearing the flag of the United Arab Emirates sank in the Persian Gulf on Thursday due to bad weather. Authorities said rescuers were trying to rescue all 30 crew members.
Captain Nizar Qaddaura, Operations Manager of the Salem Al Makrani Cargo Company, said Al Salmi 6 got stuck in bad weather and storms and then sank. He said rescuers have rescued 16 crew members. The other 11 members themselves saved their lives while one person was saved by a nearby tanker. Two crew members are still at sea.
He said the crew members included citizens of Sudan, India, Pakistan, Uganda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. The ship was going to Iraq with a car and other items. The state-run IRNA news agency said the ship was about 50 kilometers off the Asluyeh coast. He told that Iranian rescuers are trying to reach the ship.
The US Navy’s 5th Fleet, which patrols the Middle East, did not yet respond to a request for comment. The Persian Gulf is an important sea route for trade. The sinking of ships on this route is a rare occurrence. However, storms keep coming in the area and the weather keeps getting worse.
