At least three dead after ships collide off Albanian coast

[News_Editor]

At least three dead after ships collide off Albanian coast

2011-10-21 00:22:03 GMT+7 (ICT)

ANKARA, TURKEY (BNO NEWS) -- At least three people were killed and five others remain missing after two ships collided in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Albania on Thursday, officials said.

The collision, which involved a ferryboat named 'Ankara' and a cargo ship called 'Reina-1', occurred at around 1 a.m. local time about 22 miles (35 kilometers) off the coast of Durres port in Albania, the Turkish Maritime Undersecretariat told the World Bulletin website.

According to reports, there were 189 passengers and 46 crew on the Turkish-flagged 'Ankara' ferryboat while the Maltese-flagged cargo ship 'Reina-1,' owned by a Turkish national, was carrying 3,100 tons of aluminum with ten Turkish crew members.

The Reina-1 sank shortly after the collision, killing three people and leaving five others missing. The undersecretariat said a helicopter, four boats and two ships were deployed for search and rescue operations in the Adriatic Sea following the collision.

No casualties were reported on the ferryboat, which has been operating regular trips between Durres, Albania and Bari, Italy. The ship was only damaged from the collision.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-10-21