Yusuf Cepnioglu
The 116 meter long container ship Yusuf Cepnioglu went aground on the island of Mykonos, Greece. The boxship was bound for Tunisia when grounded onto a rocky area north of the island near the Lighthouse Armenisti. The bow of the vessel was out of the water while the stern submerged. The engine room and cargo holds flooded and several of the 204 containers on board fell overboard. Some oil pollution was spotted suggesting that one of the fuel tanks may have been ruptured.
As the situation worsen, the crew requested assistance and abandoned ship. The Greek Coast Guard responding. The lifeboat from Syros was dispatched to the scene. The lifeboat picked up 11 of the 14 crew on board. The master and another crewman elected to stay on board to manage salvage operations. The 11 crewmen were transferred to Mykonos. As conditions worsen with increasing waves and wind, the two men left on board where also evacuated. An US Navy helicopter airlifted the men to safety. The lifeboat and a tug remained on scene to monitor for any additional pollution being released. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
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