Foreign Ministry checking if Ukrainians were aboard cargo ship Pirireis, sunk off Greek coast
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is checking whether there were Ukrainians among the crew members of the dry cargo ship Pirireis, which collided with another cargo vessel, the Consouth, off the southwestern coast of Greece.
"The Foreign Ministry is checking whether there were citizens of Ukraine among the sailors," the ministry's spokesman, Yavhen Perebyinis, told Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.
The Pirireis, which was flying the flag of the Cook Islands, collided on Monday with another dry cargo ship, the Consouth (the flag of Antigua and Barbuda) off the southwestern coast of Greece.
According to a representative of the Greek coastguard, the Pirireis was seriously damaged in the collision and sank within ten minutes. Ten of its 17 crewmembers are unaccounted for. According to local media reports, all of them are Syrians.
Helicopters, airplanes and ships are involved in the search and rescue operation.
There were reported to be 16 crewmembers aboard the Consouth, including ten Poles, five Russians and one Filipino. According to local media reports, none of them were hurt.
