Minesweeper Kallisto of the Greek Navy and the Maersk Launceston have collided near the port of Piraeus, reports the Hellenic Coast Guard. The minesweeper has practically been cut in half, while the container ship suffered only minor damage to its bow. The captain of the Maersk Launceston has been arrested.
The accident happened on Tuesday 27 October at 7.40 am. The incident caused water to enter the minesweeper. Its 27 crew was rescued by patrol vessels. Two suffered minor injuries and were transported to the Athens Naval Hospital. Maersk has reported that there are no injuries on board of the Maersk Launceston.
The exact cause of the incident is yet unknown. The Central Port Authority of Piraeus is conducting a preliminary investigation and has detained the container ship. The Coast Guard reported on Wednesday that the captain of the container ship has been arrested. The navy vessel has been towed to Salamina Port.
The 266-metre long and 36-metre wide Maersk Launceston (4533 TEU) was on its way to the Turkish port of Canakkale. The ship sails under the Portuguese flag and is managed by the John T. Essberger Group, based in Germany. This company operates a fleet of almost thirty Dutch and Portuguese ships.
Picture: Video still of the Arxipelagos video below.
