Eight Missing after Cement Carrier Sinks off Scotland

zoom Hamburg-based Brise Schiffahrt, a manager of the cement carrier Cemfjord, has confirmed that this vessel’s crew of eight are missing following a severe accident in the Pentland Firth, off the North of Scotland. The United Kingdoms Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) sent four of its crews to assist the upturned vessel, which was spotted by  an Aberdeen-Shetland ferry on January 3, 11 miles east of Pentland Skerries. The volunteer RNLI lifeboat crews from Thurso, Longhope and Stromness are currently searching for survivors in the Pentland Firth, between Orkney and John O’Groats, while the Wick lifeboat is standing by the upturned vessel, waiting for the arrival of a tug which will tow the ship back to land. Two search and rescue helicopters are also involved in the operation, which is being coordinated by Shetland Coastguard. Brise says that no distress call was received from the vessel. Bad weather prevailed in the area at the time and conditions remain difficult at the scene, with storm force winds. The crew consists of seven Polish seafarers and one Filipino mariner. Cemfjord was built in 1984, as a general cargo vessel and was converted in 1998 for the carriage of cement. The vessel had loaded a cargo of 2,000 tonnes of cement at Aalborg, Denmark, and was proceeding to the UK port of Runcorn, with an ETA of Monday January 5. Image: RNLI/Wick