Cargo ship sinks off the coast of Pernambuco, leaving four crew members dead

On Sunday night (15), a cargo ship sank about 15 kilometers from Ponta das Pedras, in the state of Pernambuco. The vessel left the capital of Pernambuco and was on its way to Fernando de Noronha, a journey that takes two days, with nine crew members on board. Four of them were rescued alive and the other five were initially missing until the Brazilian Navy confirmed the death of four of them on Monday night (16). The search continues to locate the last crew member.

Cause of the shipwreck

In an interview with g1, Antônio Gonçalves, owner of the ship named Concórdia, said that the vehicle could carry up to 180 tons and was full, transporting construction materials and food destined to supply the markets of Fernando de Noronha until the cargo came loose almost halfway.

Because of this problem, they were forced to perform a maneuver to return to Recife and it was during this attempt that the ship ended up sinking. The owner also stated that the loss is significant, as commercial movement in Noronha had recently improved.

_{Video of the ship before it sank (Video: reproduction/Youtube/UOL)}

Rescue operation

In the first few hours after the shipwreck, the Navy issued an alert to sailors and the maritime community, asking all vessels near the accident site to remain alert and collaborate in the search for the missing crew members. The Fire Department issued a statement informing that the rescue operations would be conducted by the Brazilian Navy, due to the corporation's lack of vessels suitable for high-sea operations.

The Salvamar Nordeste structure was activated to coordinate the search and rescue operations together with the Patrol Vessel Macau and the Brazilian Air Force H36 aircraft. Four crew members were rescued from the High Seas Tugboat Cormoran and are in good health.

Featured photo: Concordia Ship (Reproduction/g1)