Ship broke down at open sea

A MADANG disaster officer yesterday reported a small vessel travelling to Madang from Bagbag Island is drifting at sea because of technical problems with its engine.
Madang provincial government marine transport inspector, Captain Pascal Yali said the incident was reported to him at 8.30am.
Yali said the mv Ganau, which usually transported cash crops and passengers from Bagabag Island, was still drifting at sea and the disaster office was looking for resources to go out and help.
“The ship was carrying copra and cocoa and passengers from Bagbag Island,” Yali said.
He said the disaster office could not do anything as all provincial gov­ernment accounts were still closed.
He warned all seafarers to take extra precautions when going to sea.
“Madang is facing strong winds and the sea is rough and overload eddinghies are at risk of capsizing,” Yali said.
He said dinghies should carry fewer passengers, have sufficient fuel and must be equipped with safety equipment like life jackets.
Yali said strong winds in February was normal for Madang but they were very dangerous for travelling  by sea. “This wind is called a tropical revolving storm, anything beyond this is cyclone,” Yali said.