TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Eleven Indian crew members were missing on Friday after their cargo ship sank in the Pacific off the Philippines as a typhoon churned in the region, Japan’s coastguard said.
The 33,205-tonne Emerald Star with 26 Indian nationals on board sent a distress signal early Friday as the Hong Kong-registered vessel was sailing some 280 kilometres (174 miles) east of the northern tip of the Philippines, said a statement from the Japanese coastguard, which received the distress signal.
Three other vessels sailing near the area rescued 15 crew members but 11 others were still missing, a Japanese coastguard spokesman said, adding that the cargo ship has sunk.
“We have dispatched two patrol boats and three planes to the site but a typhoon has made a rescue difficult,” the spokesman added.
-“Odette” now a severe tropical storm –
The incident happened as a tropical cyclone, “Odette” (international name Khanun) that is affected northern Philippines intensified into a severe tropical storm and is now heading towards the West Philippine Sea.
The Philippine weather bureau, PAGASA, estimated that the rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 400 km diameter of the Tropical Storm. Moderate to occasionally heavy rains is expected over the provinces of Zambales and Bataan.
“Odette” is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) between tonight and tomorrow morning.
As of 4:00 p.m. Friday, the center of Severe Tropical Storm “ODETTE” was estimated based on all available data at 205 km West of Sinait, Ilocos Sur (17.8 °N, 118.5 °E). It has maximum sustained winds of 90 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 113 kph
(Agence France-Presse with Eagle News Service)