"Zim Shekou"’s captain reported that they might have hit a boat while the ship was returning to Busan from China's Qingdao Port. Nine of the boat crew members are missing
South Korean port authorities said last Tuesday they were investigating suspicions that a container ship owned by Israeli company ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd hit a Chinese fishing boat overnight near the country's southern coast.
According to communication between the South Korean port authorities and their counterparts in China, nine people were considered missing and one fisherman was injured, after the "Zim Shekou" possibly overran an fishing vessel off Busan on Jan 3, 2011.
The "Zim Shekou" (IMO 9322322, dwt 50629, built 2007, flag Liberia, owner Ofer Ships Holding, Israel) was returning to Busan from China's Qingdao Port in the night when the ship's captain reported that they might have hit a boat.
Ofer Maritime's spokesman said that the ship's crew are conducting scans in the scene. He said that several fishing boats were spotted in the area but that there was no evidence of irregular activity. At dawn a boat was spotted floating upside down. He added that the captain turned the ship in the direction of the possible accident, and tried to contact the boat, to no avail and he did not notice any unusual occurrences.
With day light the authorities noticed an overturned boat in the waters near the South Korean port. Though it is not yet conclusive that the ZIM ship indeed hit the Chinese boat, there is a possibility that it did. ZIM said there were no people in the water or any floating objects. Other boats carried on sailing.
The captain had assumed that the boat has been upside down for some time and carried on sailing to Busan but reported the matter to Korean authorities.
Investigators on behalf of the Busan port found no signs of any vessel hitting the boat.
Ofer Maritime, who owns ZIM, said that though it is not yet conclusive that the ZIM ship indeed hit the Chinese boat, there is a possibility that it did.
The spokesman stressed that if indeed the ZIM ship hit the Chinese boat, the company expresses deep sorrow for the human tragedy.
