Five fishermen stranded for several days on board a sinking fishing boat in the South China Sea were rescued on Friday by an Alpha Bulkers vessel.
Crew aboard the 179,258-dwt capesize Alpha Optimism (built 2016) were underway between mainland Malaysia and Borneo when they spotted the sinking vessel.
The five fishermen were on its deck, wearing life jackets.
Alpha Bulkers Shipmanagement told TradeWinds: “Immediately, our master activated the general alarm and informed our company. Immediately, we instructed our captain to commence the rescue operation.”
All five men, who are Indonesian nationals, boarded the bulker and were offered food, water and clothing.
They will remain with the vessel and will be disembarked in Indonesia.
Alpha Bulkers said: “We would like to congratulate our master and our crew for their professionalism.”
The company is controlled by Anna Angelicoussis-Kanellakis and led by her sons Frangiskos and Antonis.
Its owned fleet comprises 20 capesizes and newcastlemaxes, 13 panamaxes and kamsarmaxes and a supramax, excluding a capesize reported sold last week.
