Bulker crew save fishermen adrift for 13 days

Hosco Group, owner of the panamax bulker, said the crew had successfully rescued five of six Filipino fishermen cast adrift on a raft for 13 days following the sinking of their boat in a typhoon.
A spokesperson for Hosco said Hebei Courage had moved to within 50 metres of the raft following a sighting of the survivors by the third officer.
“This allowed the fishermen to swim aside and scale pilot ladders lowered into the water.
“Unfortunately one of the survivors was too weak to keep hold of the rope and was lost behind the stern.
“Despite searching with one of the available lifeboats and calling for assistance to passing traffic, the fisherman was not recovered.”
The fishermen that survived were said to be stable and will remain onboard the Hebei Courage until she arrives at Rizhao, China on the final leg of her passage from Ukraine.
Hosco said it had made an immediate report to the national and local Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre on the actions of its crew.