On Saturday 23rd February 2019 the Turkish flag and owned general cargo ship EFE MURAT ran aground with bad weather conditions with Gale Force winds on the south coast of Bari, Italy, near the beach of Pane e Pomodoro.
She had a crew of 15 all of whom were identified as Turkish nationalities. She departed from Ortona, Italy on Friday 22nd and was heading to Aliağa Port carrying wheat.
Catania Coast Guard reportedly dispatched an AW139 helicopter to rescue the crew members.
Strong winds also affected rescue efforts, obstructing the work of coast guard teams but crew members were safely evacuated.
Reports noted that the captain of the ship head initially attempted to take shelter in the port of Bari, but changed his mind later to keep going but strong winds dragged the vessel toward the breakwater.
Below are some images when she was entering Valletta, Malta on Monday 20th November, 2017 –
Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com