9 crew members rescued, search still on for others after oil tanker capsizes in Arabian Sea off Oman
Dubai (AP): Search teams rescued nine crew members, mostly Indians, and recovered the body of another as they searched the Arabian Sea waters for others after an oil tanker capsized this week off the coast of Oman, Omani state media has said.
The tanker, the MT Prestige Falcon, capsized late Monday about 25 nautical miles (29 miles) southeast of Oman's Ras Madrakah area, according to Oman's Maritime Security Agency.
The cause of the capsizing and the condition of the tanker and its cargo were not immediately known. But the Indian Navy, which sent a warship to help in the search operations, said the rescue teams were dealing with rough seas and strong winds.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Navy said eight Indians and another crew member had been rescued, and that Indian and Omani teams were continuing to search for others. The crew included 13 Indians and three Sri Lankans, it said. Oman's state news agency reported that, along with the nine rescued, one other crew member had died.
The 117-metre-long (383-foot) Prestige Falcon, flying the flag of Comoros, had been carrying a cargo of oil products from the port of Hamriya in the United Arab Emirates to the Yemeni port of Aden, according to the shipping-tracking website marinetraffic.com.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
