The cargo ship Raptor went down in stormy seas off the Greek island of Lesbos on Sunday, November 26, 2023. Thirteen of its 14 crew members were missing, and one man had been pulled alive from the water.
The Comoros-registered vessel was bound for Istanbul from Alexandria, Egypt, with 6,000 tonnes of salt aboard, the Greek coast guard said. The crew was made up of eight Egyptians, four Indians and two Syrians.
At 7 am the ship reported a mechanical problem and sent a distress signal. Soon afterward it vanished from view about 8 kilometres southwest of Lesbos, which Turkish sources call Midilli.
A coast guard spokeswoman said the rescued man was an Egyptian. Eight merchant ships, two helicopters and a Greek navy frigate were searching for survivors. Three coast guard vessels struggled to reach the area because of the rough sea. She spoke on condition of anonymity because the case was still open and she was not authorised to talk to the media.
The National Weather Service said northwesterly winds above 50 mph were blowing across the area.
