Cyprus-flagged ship catches fire, crew safe

The Greek coast guard was late on Thursday evening evacuating the crew of a Cyprus-flagged cargo ship that caught fire off the coast of Rhodes, reports said.

The Med Star was located some two nautical miles northeast of Rhodes, headed for the island of Santorini.

Reports said a fire broke out in the engine room, under circumstances still unknown.

The ship’s 30-strong crew were said to all be in good health.

The Greek coast guard, as well as nearby vessels and a Greek air force chopper were assisting in their evacuation.

The ship was transporting vehicles at the time.

 

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.