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Greek ship sinks as storms close Suez Canal

Greek ship sinks as storms close Suez Canal

   The Greek-owned cargo vessel “Kelphi,” en route from Istanbul to West Africa, has foundered in the Mediterranean 120 nautical miles west of Crete during severe storms last weekend that forced Egypt to close the Suez Canal to all traffic.

   The “Kelphi” sent a distress message before sinking. Only two of the ship’s 17-member, mostly Egyptian crew were rescued from a lifeboat, the Greek Merchant Marine Ministry said in a statement.

   On Monday, more than 60 tankers waited for passage through the Bosphorous and Dardanelles. Turkey closed the straits Jan. 22 after a blizzard disrupted shipping.