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| Lifeboats return to base as cargo ship Cemfjord sinks | Lifeboats return to base as cargo ship Cemfjord sinks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Lifeboats searching near the wreck of the Cemfjord have started to return to their home ports, with hopes of finding survivors said to be "very slim". | |
| The ship is believed to have sunk off the north of Scotland. There has been no sign of the eight-strong crew. | |
| The vessel's upturned hull was found by a passing ferry in the Pentland Firth on Saturday. | The vessel's upturned hull was found by a passing ferry in the Pentland Firth on Saturday. |
| There had been no distress call from the ship, which was carrying a bulk load of cement from Denmark. | There had been no distress call from the ship, which was carrying a bulk load of cement from Denmark. |
| The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the search had involved two helicopters and four lifeboats, assisted by coastguard rescue teams from Kirkwall, St Margaret's Hope, Duncansby, Scrabster and Wick. | The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the search had involved two helicopters and four lifeboats, assisted by coastguard rescue teams from Kirkwall, St Margaret's Hope, Duncansby, Scrabster and Wick. |
| HMS Somerset and its helicopter also joined the search. | HMS Somerset and its helicopter also joined the search. |
| MCA watch manager Susan Todd told the BBC the chances of finding survivors were very slim: "That's correct. Obviously our thoughts are with the families of those involved at this time. | MCA watch manager Susan Todd told the BBC the chances of finding survivors were very slim: "That's correct. Obviously our thoughts are with the families of those involved at this time. |
| "However we are making best use of daylight and reasonable weather conditions today and we will maintain the search effort through the hours of daylight, looking for people in the water or any signs of wreckage or debris from the vessel - liferafts, lifeboats, etc." | "However we are making best use of daylight and reasonable weather conditions today and we will maintain the search effort through the hours of daylight, looking for people in the water or any signs of wreckage or debris from the vessel - liferafts, lifeboats, etc." |
| The last confirmed sighting of the ship was at about 13:00 on Friday. It is understood the alarm was raised by the crew of the ferry Hrossey at 14:30 on Saturday. | The last confirmed sighting of the ship was at about 13:00 on Friday. It is understood the alarm was raised by the crew of the ferry Hrossey at 14:30 on Saturday. |
| The Hrossey, which was sailing to Aberdeen, spent time in the area looking for survivors. | The Hrossey, which was sailing to Aberdeen, spent time in the area looking for survivors. |
| Passenger Caitlin Ditchfield said: "About two hours into the journey, the NorthLink ferry we were on strangely stopped in the middle of the sea. | Passenger Caitlin Ditchfield said: "About two hours into the journey, the NorthLink ferry we were on strangely stopped in the middle of the sea. |
| "Then from the window we could see the hull of the cargo ship in the water. | "Then from the window we could see the hull of the cargo ship in the water. |
| "After a while the captain made an announcement that he had called the three closest coastguards but they had asked that the ferry conduct a search while the lifeboats made their way to us. | "After a while the captain made an announcement that he had called the three closest coastguards but they had asked that the ferry conduct a search while the lifeboats made their way to us. |
| "The ferry started to circle the ship looking for any debris. We were at the scene for two-and-a-half hours before the coastguards said we could carry on with our journey." | "The ferry started to circle the ship looking for any debris. We were at the scene for two-and-a-half hours before the coastguards said we could carry on with our journey." |
| Storm force | Storm force |
| Brise of Hamburg, managers of the Cemfjord, said in a statement that the crew consisted of seven Poles and a Filipino. | Brise of Hamburg, managers of the Cemfjord, said in a statement that the crew consisted of seven Poles and a Filipino. |
| It added: "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. | It added: "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 company is in the process of informing the families." | "The company is in the process of informing the families." |
| The Cemfjord was built in 1984 and was converted to a specialist cement carrier in 1998. | The Cemfjord was built in 1984 and was converted to a specialist cement carrier in 1998. |
| On this voyage, it was carrying 2,000 tonnes of cement and had been sailing from Aalborg in Denmark to Runcorn in Cheshire. It was due to arrive on Monday. | On this voyage, it was carrying 2,000 tonnes of cement and had been sailing from Aalborg in Denmark to Runcorn in Cheshire. It was due to arrive on Monday. |
| Brise of Hamburg said the ship had successfully completed its classification renewal inspections during December 2014. | Brise of Hamburg said the ship had successfully completed its classification renewal inspections during December 2014. |
| Searchers have been concentrating their efforts on areas of coastline where debris may have been washed ashore. | Searchers have been concentrating their efforts on areas of coastline where debris may have been washed ashore. |
| An inflatable boat was recovered by a team in Orkney, but the coastguard said they have been unable to confirm if it came from the Cemfjord. | An inflatable boat was recovered by a team in Orkney, but the coastguard said they have been unable to confirm if it came from the Cemfjord. |
| Four lifeboats, two rescue helicopters and other vessels were involved in the search on Saturday. | Four lifeboats, two rescue helicopters and other vessels were involved in the search on Saturday. |
| Bill Farquhar from the Wick RNLI station said on Saturday: "We got a call this afternoon about two o'clock that the Shetland ferry - the Hrossey - she had spotted the hull of a coaster upside-down 10 miles east of Pentland Skerries. | Bill Farquhar from the Wick RNLI station said on Saturday: "We got a call this afternoon about two o'clock that the Shetland ferry - the Hrossey - she had spotted the hull of a coaster upside-down 10 miles east of Pentland Skerries. |
| "The last known position on marine traffic was at quarter past one yesterday, so that was the last known position we had of the ship. | "The last known position on marine traffic was at quarter past one yesterday, so that was the last known position we had of the ship. |
| "The weather at that time yesterday was pretty, pretty, bad." | "The weather at that time yesterday was pretty, pretty, bad." |