Freighter evacuated in rough seas off the coast of Madagascar

The crew of a freighter sailing under the
Turkish flag was evacuated in heavy storms off the southern tip of
Madagascar, local media reported Thursday, according to dpa.
The reconnaissance ships San Jose and Giovanni Topic rushed to the
aid of the freighter Gulser Ana after the Centre for Fishing Control
on the small island of Reunion near Madagascar notified Malagasy
authorities Wednesday about the precarious situation on the
freighter.
The reconnaissance ships were able to safely rescue all 23 of the
Gulser Ana's crew despite the bad weather conditions, the Reunion
daily Les Nouvelles reported.
Malagasy authorities have formed a crisis committee to deal with
the 189-metre-long ship, which is carrying 39,000 tons of phosphate.
The ship was reportedly 3 kilometres south of Cap Sainte Marie,
Magadascar's southernmost point.