Cargo Ship Off Coast of Crete Breaks in Half

A cargo ship carrying metal broke in half after running aground off the coast of Crete on Tuesday, and two of its crew members have been hospitalized with hypothermia.

The ship, which is called the Manassa Rose and which flies the flag of the Comoros Islands, broke apart after being battered by strong waves. All ten crew members had already been evacuated from the ship by the time it broke in half, however.

After the ship’s captain raised a distress signal, the Hellenic Coast Guard, volunteer lifeguards, and two other ships rushed to their aid.

The ship had set sail from Turkey just as the country, and neighboring Greece, were hit with the storm Elpis, which brought about heavy snow, strong winds, and low temperatures. The Manassa Rose was making its way to Libya before it ran aground off the northwestern coast of Crete, in Kissamos Bay.

Κρήτη: Eγκαταλείφθηκε από το 10 μελές πλήρωμα το φορτηγό πλοίο που προσάραξε στη θαλάσσια περιοχή του κόλπου Κισσάμου από Αίθουσα Σύνταξης – pic.twitter.com/7JmWTMUjuz

— Voice Business & Politics (@fmvoice2) January 25, 2022

Ship breaks in two off Crete during storm

A series of tornadoes hit the Greek islands on Monday during the blizzard that has been sweeping across Greece since Sunday.

Tornadic waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water or move from land to water. They have the same characteristics as a land tornado.

They are associated with severe thunderstorms and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning.

If a waterspout moves onshore, the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning, as some of them can cause significant damage and injuries to people.