The crew of the MOL-operated Astral Ace has rescued five fishermen in the South China Sea, according to a statement from the company.
On February 1 the car carrier was en route from Singapore to Laem Chabang when at 11:25 local time they spotted castaways. Having their boat half sunk, the fishermen were drifting near Malay Peninsula. The crew of 22 Filipinos immediately started the rescue operations.
The distressed men were safely onboard Astral Ace less than a hour later, at 12:15. Four hours later they were turned over to the Malaysian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center, according to the MOL press release.
Image: Manuel Hernández Lafuente
Astral Ace (IMO number 9182368 and MMSI 353307000 ) was built in 2000 and is registered in Panama. The 174,98-metre car carrier has a Gross Tonnage of 36,615 t.
Source: MOL