Seafarer lost overboard from Sarfo cargo ship off Turkey

Seafarer lost overboard from Sarfo cargo ship off Turkey
Gary Dixon 31 Jan 2021 https://www.tradewindsnews.com/casualties/seafarer-lost-overboard-from-s...

Search for Russian national was hampered by bad weather in the area

A crew member is missing presumed dead after going overboard from a general cargo ship off Turkey.

The Russian national, a chief engineer, was lost from the 5,500-dwt Karelis 71 (built 2006) on 26 January, 10 miles from shore.

A search and rescue operation with coast guard vessels and helicopters was halted by adverse weather conditions, the Yeni Akit website reported.

The St Kitts and Nevis-flag vessel was sailing from Gemlik in Turkey to Temyruk in Russia when the accident happened off the Kurucasile district of Bartin.

The Karelis 71 later anchored at Amasra port.

Testimony from the remaining seafarers was taken and an investigation begun.

The dry cargo ship is operated by Sarfo Shipping and Trading of Istanbul. The company has been contacted for further information.

The Karelis 71 is classed by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and is entered with the West of England protection and indemnity (P&I) club.

AIS data shows the ship as the Karelis 51. The last update was on 27 January when the vessel was in the Black Sea.

The cargo ship has a clean port state control record going back to February 2018, when it was held in Russia for three days with 15 deficiencies.

Grounds for detention included missing firefighting equipment, insufficient rescue boats and hull corrosion.

In December, Swedish authorities launched a rescue after a collision left a Danish cargo ship capsized and sinking.

Two seafarers were lost south of Ystad in the Baltic Sea.

The Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) said the 492-dwt Danish cargo ship Karin Hoj (built 1997) had turned over after the incident involving UK owner Scotline’s 4,800-dwt multipurpose Scot Carrier (built 2018).