UK 28 November 2011 - There were 6 people missing and 2 others rescued when their cargo ship sank in the Irish Sea on early Sunday. In the report of the Holyhead Coastguard, M/V Swanland a Cargo Ship with eight people and tons of limestone on board, have sent a mayday call saying that the vessel’s hull cracked due to the poor conditions of the weather.
Jim Green, a Coastguard Spokesman said “we are very concerned for the safety of the other six crew members. We know that at least some of them are wearing immersion suits and have strobe lighting with them, however, sea conditions are challenging at best.”
There were rescue helicopters from the Royal Air Force that is based on Welsh Island of Anglesely and from Dublin Coastguard that is based on Ireland were sent to the rescue of the said crew. This is about 20 miles of northwest of the Llyn Peninsula located in North Wales.
The first two crew members that were rescued were flown to the Anglesey Base, were Prince William works as a RAF Search and Rescue Force Helicopter co-pilot. However, there were no clear reports if he was involved in the rescue operation.
The search continues for the six other crew members that are missing, the helicopters from RAF Chivenor based in Southwest England and the Irish Coastguard are still on the move, together with the boats from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
The reports from RNLI said that two lifeboats, along with four search and rescue helicopters and two other commercial boats are still searching for the rest of the missing crew.
The Irish Sea is battling with Gale-Force winds during Sunday and the coastguard has added that this is one of the factors that may have cause the cargo ship to sink.
One shipspotting website, the cargo ship was built in the Netherlands and is owned by Torbulk, a company in Grismby. It was reported that the ship has picked up its cargo from Llanddulas jetty which is near Abergele and was en-route to Cowes in the Isle of Wight when it sank.
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