Cypriot ship breaks up off Norway, 25 crew rescued
Source: Reuters
OSLO, Jan 12 (Reuters) - A Cypriot-registered cargo ship ran aground and broke up off the west coast of Norway on Friday, but the 25-man crew was rescued by helicopters, Norwegian rescue officials said. "They are all safe and sound in Bergen now," said rescue centre spokesman Anders Bang-Andersen. "There were no injuries." The ship was carrying no cargo but local authorities feared environmental damage from a possible spill of the vessels 650 tonnes of fuel, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported. "The ship has broken up ... We have called off the rescue operation for our part," Bang-Andersen said. The Greek-owned 180-metre "The Server" called for help around 6:30 p.m. local time (1730 GMT) after running aground near the Hellesoy lighthouse off the coast of Hordaland county, northwest of Bergen, he said. "It went aground fairly hard so we sent out four helicopters, two of which were used in rescuing the people," Bang-Andersen said. It was not clear what caused the ship to hit the rocks and the weather on the coast was only "normal bad winter weather for Norway, with seven to eight metre waves," Bang Andersen said. The helicopters first plucked 19 crew members off the ship and then picked up the remaining six a half hour later, he said. The crew were mainly Indonesian with Greek officers, Bang-Andersen said.
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