A commercial cargo vessel has sunk off the coast of Derna in eastern Libya after suffering a complete power failure amid severe weather conditions, according to Libyan maritime authorities.
The director of Benghazi Port, Captain Hussein Al-Sharaa, told Libyan News Agency (LANA) that the vessel, named Mini Star, went down after losing electricity as strong winds and a sandstorm battered the area. The ship was en route to the Lebanese port of Sidon, carrying a cargo of heavy machinery and marble, and was sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Al-Sharaa told the Libyan News Agency that wind speeds exceeded 100 kilometres per hour, causing the cargo to shift violently inside the vessel. This led to water leaking into the holds, ultimately resulting in the ship sinking despite rescue efforts by Libyan and Italian authorities operating in the area.
He explained that the Libyan Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre received an alert from its Italian counterpart reporting that the vessel was taking on water. Joint coordination between the two centres followed, enabling a rapid response to the incident.
Rescue teams successfully evacuated all 11 crew members using a lifeboat. The crew were transferred safely to Malta, with no casualties reported. Authorities confirmed that the operation prioritised the safety of those on board before the vessel was completely submerged.
Libyan officials have raised concerns over potential environmental risks linked to the ship’s cargo, warning that pollution could occur at the sinking site. Monitoring measures are expected to be intensified to assess any impact on the surrounding marine environment.
The stricken vessel, officially registered as MV Mini Star, was built in 1983 and is classified as a multipurpose cargo ship. It measures approximately 106 metres in length and around 20 metres in width, with a deadweight capacity of about 4,400 tonnes in the Mediterranean.