Algerian sailor perishes in a failed rescue operation

Bad weather conditions recorded over the last three days stranded a Maltese vessel baptized “Sophia” in the coastal town of Skikda , eastern Algeria .

oth tug -boats, “Skikda” and “Mazafran 05” were enable to tow the stranded boat off coast due to the violent waves that reached 10° high which overturned the tug –boat, “Skikda” despite its 40 thousand horse -power capacity. The second tug-boat has miraculously escaped from the vessel’s grip after the break of the cable.

The “Skikda” crew members reached the beach using a life boat, but noticed that one of their friends, Abdelaziz Nabil (45) was not on board. A rescue team is working on the recovery of the drowned sailor, whose disappearing shocked the whole town.

The 12 crew members of the Maltese vessel are still trapped in the cabin’s boat, while the Algerian rescue team has left Azaba’s hospital late at night.