The upturned hull of the MV Cemfjord north of Scotland. Photo courtesy RNLI
Passengers aboard the Northlink ferry Hrossey saw a haunting sight this afternoon in the form of an upturned hull of a ship while sailing in the Pentland Firth, a strait between the Orkney Islands and the northern shore of mainland Scotland.
The vessel was identified as the Cemfjord, a cargo ship carrying a load of cement from Aalborg, Denmark to the UK. The last AIS tracking data from the vessel was transmitted at 1315 UTC on Friday according to MarineTraffic.com.
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency reports the tug Herakles is on scene tonight supporting the search for possible survivors of the eight crew that were reportedly on board when she sank. Wick, Thurso, Longhope and Stromness RNLI lifeboats, a Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Shetland, RAF and a rescue helicopter from Lossiemouth and other vessels in the area have searched for the missing crew, however none have been found.
As of approximately 1630 UTC on 4 January, the search for the missing crew members has been suspended according to a statement by the MCA.
UPDATE: Sunken Cement Carrier Located North of Scotland
Related: 2015 Off to a Horrendous Start for Global Maritime Industry
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