The captain of the St Vincent-flagged Mare freighter issued order to abandon the ship in the Kolympari ara off the coast of Chania in Crete, due to the turbulent winds. A Hellenic Navy helicopter has been dispatched to the ship.
According to the preliminary reports, the ship with a crew of six (four Turkish, one Georgian and one Azeri national) was headed from Turkey to Tunisia, when the Turkish captain requested assistance.
As the turbulent winds made the approach difficult for Navy vessels, a helicopter has been dispatched to provide the necessary assistance. Wind speeds are about 90km/h.
