ATHENS, May 04 /ITAR-TASS/. Four saved sailor from the Agia Marina cargo vessel that sank on April 24 near the Greek island of Crete have left for Moscow, head of the consular department of the Russian embassy in Greece Andrei Malanin told Itar-Tass on Sunday.
Later on, they will fly to the city of Stavropol in southern Russia, he added.
The Agia Marina (St. Marina) cargo ship flying the flag of Togo sank on April 24 some 35 nautical miles off the Greek island of Crete. Four crew members were saved, the other three are still missing. The saved sailors said they were from the Crimean port city of Kerch. Two of them had no documents, one had a Ukrainian passport, and the fourth one had a sailor’s certificate issued in Ukraine.
“The Russian embassy and the ship owner provided help to the sailors during their stay in Crete and helped them obtain documents to return to Russia,” Malanin said. “On Saturday, the four men arrived from Crete to Athens. On Sunday, they flew from Athens to Moscow to further fly to Stavropol, from there they will get to their homes.”
Concerning another accident that occurred onboard the Russian ship Nakhodka at the Greek port of Amaliapolis, Malanin said that the two injured sailors were undergoing medical treatment at a hospital in Elefsina near Athens.
On April 26, when the Nakhodka cargo ship was loaded with flour, an explosion occurred in its forebody hold, which was followed by fire. Two sailors were seriously burnt.
“The two sailors are still in intensive care department. They have burns of 73% of the body,” Malanin said. “Their condition is very serious but stable. The date of surgery has not yet been appointed. The issue is being agreed with plastic surgeons.”
The Russian diplomatic mission is maintaining contact with the relatives of the injured sailors and with other members of the crew who are also Russian citizens. “They are awaiting two sailors to replace those who are in hospital,” the Russian diplomat noted.