Α cargo ship has been immobilised for three days after grounding on a rock near the Greek island of Rhodes.
The master and a crew member of the 11,500-dwt Atlanta (built 2009) have been convoked by local authorities over suspected violation of Greek ship traffic laws, the coast guard said.
The Malta-flag vessel hit the shore at Agioi Theodoroi, a rock islet in the south-east Aegean Sea, early on Saturday.
None of the 17 non-Greek crew members were harmed. No listing or pollution has been observed from the ship, which was carrying a load of fertiliser.
However, sources said it has been damaged, with its fore peak, bow thruster room and a ballast tank suffering water ingress.
Malta-based Navitramp Freight Agency, the listed manager, did not respond to a request for comment. The Atlanta is registered under the ownership of Tri-Mer Services, another entity based in Malta.
Vernicos Scafi Tugs & Salvage and Med Tugs signed a Lloyd’s open form for the salvage and refloating of the vessel.
The 4,400-bhp Vernicos Sifnos (built 2008) and at least one other tug have been engaged since Saturday.
According to MarineTraffic, the Atlanta was en route from Nea Karvali in Greece to Iskenderun, a Turkish port that suffered considerable damage after a devastating earthquake earlier this year.
The nationality of the crew has not been disclosed.
Under Greek law, persons responsible for causing groundings or shipwrecks face stiff prison sentences if their actions are found to have caused deaths or serious risk to humans or public infrastructure.
In most cases, however, negligence that causes no serious harm is punished with fines.
