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Several ships hit by bad weather

DUBAI — Rough seas as a result of bad weather during the last week affected several ships belonging to UAE-based shipping companies, shipping sources said yesterday.

According to sources, five Pakistani crew members have been missing since February 1 after the dhow on its journey from Ajman to Karachi sank between the Oman Bay and the Arabian Gulf.

Search is currently on for the missing crew, Issa Hareb, owner of the vessel told Khaleej Times.

Two crew members of the ill-fated dhow ‘Wafi’, identified as Jan Mohammed and Alahi, were rescued on February 2 by a Korean ship and ferried to Karachi, Hareb said.

“Even though the vessel had a satellite phone and a radio, we have not been able to establish any contact with the missing crew,” he said.

According to the surviving crew members, the vessel was hit by a giant wave, causing leakage in the dhow. “They told me that the storm caused the accident. We still hope that the crew members are safe,” he added.

The Karachi-bound vessel, carrying general cargo, had departed from Ajman on January 29.

The missing were identified as Captain Sharq Jawahour, Jamal Fadnoka, Shankool Newlogy, Mohammed Hanif and Lal Buksh Nour Buksh.

Indian crew members rescued

In another incident, 11 Indian crew members were rescued on February 2 after their dhow developed a snag off the coast of Port Jebel Ali. The vessel was on its way to India from Sharjah.

The spokesperson for the Indian consulate in Dubai, B.S. Mubarak, said all 11 crew members were safe and have been sent back to India.

“The sailors told us that the engine of the vessel ‘MV Al Bilal’ had failed amid rough weather,” he said, adding that after receiving a distress call from the vessel, ‘MV Sinar Riau’, an Antiguan ship that was passing by responded to the call and managed to rescue the crew in distress.

The ‘MV Sinar Riau’ docked at Jebel Ali on Tuesday and the sailors were received by Indian consulate officials and members of Samudra Emirates Shipping LLC, the shipping agents for Riau.

The tickets for the sailors were arranged by the Consulate-General of India in Dubai with the help of Indian Community Welfare Committee and they left for Mumbai by an Indian Airlines flight the same night.

Meanwhile, a UAE-based vessel is reportedly stranded with 17 Indian crew members in international waters off the coast of Somalia since January 31. The vessel was stranded apparently due to a fault in the vessel’s engine.

“The vessel was carrying sugar from India to war-ravaged Somalia, ship owner Mohammed Yousuf told Khaleej Times. “Due to bad weather, the rescue operations are at a standstill,” he said.