Search and rescue efforts for 10 crew members are continuing after the Emerald Star cargo ship sank in the Pacific off the Philippines with 26 Indian nationals aboard.
The 33,205-ton vessel sank on October 13, 2017, after it got into difficulty due to the tropical storm Odette.
The Indian government has dispatched a naval patrol aircraft to Manila to search for the last missing sailors after two vessels found 16 of the crew.
A P-8I patrol aircraft was sent out yesterday (October 15, 2017) with inflatable dinghies and emergency food and water supplies that can be dropped near any survivors, according to The Times of India.
The official spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has listed the names of missing and saved crew members.
An appeal was also sent on Twitter to Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs of India, to keep the search and rescue efforts going.
@SushmaSwaraj Dear Madam, We are forwarding you an 'APPEAL' for continuation of Search & Rescue for the missing Indian Crew of EMERALD STAR. pic.twitter.com/TZ3txsuf1S
— Capt. Chokdayat V.P. (@Capt_Chokdayat) October 15, 2017
The Japanese Coast Guard said it had received a distress signal from the vessel early on Friday when it was about 280 kilometres east of the northern tip of the Philippines.
According to reports, the Japanese coastguard sent out two patrol boats and three planes to the site, but the typhoon made a rescue difficult.
