A general cargo vessel, MN Kostas, ran aground off the northeastern coast of Crete, and the Hellenic Coast Guard, along with the local port authority, is coordinating response efforts. The crew has been evacuated, and according to the Coast Guard, the ship’s captain and the officer on watch have been detained during the investigation.

On the evening of July 24, the MN Kostas (5,800 DWT) departed from Sitia Port, one of the main ports on the island of Crete. At approximately 23:30, the Coast Guard reported that the ship had informed them it had run aground between a position about six nautical miles off the northeastern tip of Crete near Sitia Island and three nautical miles west of Sideros Island.

Built in 1994 and registered in Sierra Leone, the MN Kostas was carrying gypsum to Lebanon. The vessel is 106 meters (348 feet) in length.

Earlier this year, the ship was accused of failing to pay its crew wages. The International Labour Organization (ILO) reported that the crew was owed nearly $18,500 in unpaid salaries. According to the organization, the crew had received only half of their wages for four months, though the situation was subsequently resolved.

The Coast Guard stated that it deployed three patrol boats, while the Sitia Port Authority dispatched personnel aboard a fishing vessel to the site. Private vessels and fishing boats also approached the area to assist.

All 14 crew members were evacuated from the vessel. They were transferred onto one of the fishing boats and taken to Sitia Port.

The Sitia Port Authority is leading the preliminary investigation. The captain and the officer on watch are under investigation for causing the grounding and failing to prevent the incident. Divers have also been assigned to inspect the ship and the reef.

Two tugboats are currently on standby from Heraklion to assist the grounded cargo vessel, and a third tugboat is scheduled to arrive at the site on Friday.