Search for Cemfjord survivors resumes

THE SEARCH for the crew of eight of the cement carrier Cemfjord resumed on Sunday morning.

The overturned hull of the 83 metre vessel, registered in Cyprus, was discovered floating in the Pentland Firth by the passenger ferry Hrossey on Saturday afternoon.

The Cemfjord was last seen at 1pm on Friday while on passage between Aalborg, in Denmark, and the UK port of Runcorn.

Weather conditions in the area on Friday were bad with gale force westerly winds and heavy wintry showers.

The Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Shetland and a RAF rescue helicopter as well as the four lifeboats from Stromness, Longhope, Scrabster and Wick have now resumed the search.

They are being joined by coastguard rescue teams from Kirkwall, St Margarets Hope, Duncansby, Scrabster and Wick. HMS Somerset and her helicopter have also joined the search.

The search has been ongoing since 2.30 pm on Saturday. Sadly no sign has yet been found of the missing crew.

Managers of the vessel, Brise of Hamburg, confirmed in a statement on Saturday evening that the vessel’s crew of eight was missing.

“No distress call was received from the vessel. Bad weather prevailed in the area at the time and conditions remain difficult at the scene, with storm force winds.

“The crew consists of seven Polish seafarers and one Filipino mariner. The company is in the process of informing the families,” the company said.