BUCHAREST, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Romania's emergency authorities decided on Monday to refloat a foreign ship that partially sunk on the edge of its Midia Harbor waterway of Black Sea.
The Queen Hind Livestock Carrier, with 3,785 deadweight tonnage, partially sank on the right side on Sunday, after leaving the shore with 14,600 animals on board. Soon after the accident, all the 22 sailors of Syrian nationality were taken from the ship and brought safely to the dock.
The Romanian Naval Authority (ANR) will coordinate the refloat of the ship and tow it to the docks in the Midia harbour. Both live animals and the bodies of sheep that died in the accident will be transferred to the shore, according to the Emergency Committee of Constanta County which governs the relevant region.
The operation should start on Monday as soon as possible, given that a storm warning was in place, said ANR Deputy Director Laurentiu Zanfir, stressing that the ship's master has sole responsibility for the accident, and a criminal investigation into him has already begun.
"On Monday morning, the authorities intervened on the upper deck first, to remove the freight there, most probably hay bales, to lighten the ship and restraighten the right wing, so that the ship could be tugged back to the shore," spokeswoman for local Dobrogea Emergency Inspectorate, Anamaria Stoica, was quoted as saying by official Agerpres news agency.
