MSC HANNAH III rescues crew from sinking vessel off Cyprus
All 10 crew members aboard the Tanzanian-flagged commercial vessel AS DREAM have been rescued after the ship was reported sinking approximately 90 nautical miles west of Paphos, Cyprus, on 30 October.
The rescue operation was coordinated by the Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Larnaca, which received information about the vessel’s situation at 20:15 local time.
Following the alert, the JRCC activated Cyprus’ national search and rescue plan, NEARCHOS, mobilising military and civilian rescue assets to assist the crew.
The response involved a helicopter from the Cyprus National Guard’s 460 Search and Rescue Squadron, the naval patrol vessel CNS AMMOCHOSTOS and the Port and Marine Police rescue boat PENTADAKTYLOS.
The nearby commercial vessel MSC HANNAH III also participated in the operation and successfully rescued all 10 crew members from AS DREAM.
Under the coordination of JRCC Larnaca, the survivors were subsequently transferred from MSC HANNAH III to PENTADAKTYLOS, which transported them to the Port of Limassol.
Upon arrival, medical personnel from the Ambulance Service examined the rescued seafarers and confirmed that all were in good health. The crew members were then handed over to the competent Cypriot authorities.
The relevant embassies were also notified through diplomatic channels by Cyprus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The incident occurred within the Republic of Cyprus’ designated search and rescue region. The official announcement did not specify the cause of the emergency or confirm the vessel’s final condition following the evacuation.
