Four of five life rafts spotted by a rescue aircraft searching for missing crew of the Alexandros T were found to be empty, search-and-rescue officials said on Thursday.
One person was rescued from a life raft at about 10am, bringing the total number of crew rescued to seven.
Twenty-six crew members, including the captain of the Greek bulk carrier, are still missing, said Andre Botes, head of maritime search and rescue operations (MRCC).
Botes said the search is being geared up, with more vessels being dispatched. The air-force C-130 aircraft will also be returning to the area, about 300 nautical miles east of Port Elizabeth.
The discovery of the empty life rafts sparked concern that people in the water could suffer hypothermia. Botes said the water temperature could be below 18 degrees Celsius.
”Some people can survive comfortably in this water, but others may not,” he said.
The weather has improved since Wednesday night, with the wind dying down to about 11 knots and swells of 2m to 3m from the raging, 45-knot winds and 5m swells.
There are fears, however, that conditions will once again deteriorate in the evening.
The rescued man was not injured, and had been relatively comfortable overnight in the life raft, which was ”designed to sustain people”.
Botes said some of those rescued had mentioned that when the crew tried to abandon the ship — which was fast breaking up after taking on water in heavy seas — some could not reach the life rafts.
The 299m bulk carrier — built in 1989 — with a gross tonnage of 91 164, was headed from Brazil to China with a load of steel when it began taking on water on Wednesday afternoon.
The bulk carrier Fortune Express, which was about two nautical miles from the stricken vessel, was sent to assist.
Mark Hellenberg, MRCC search-and-rescue coordinator, said the Fortune Express found the ship sinking fast and rescued five crew members from a life raft. Following a search, another crew member was rescued from the sea.
A second boat diverted to the scene when the initial distress call was received was expected on scene later at about 4pm on Thursday. The salvage vessel Smit Amandla is expected on scene on Friday.
Botes said the ship ran into trouble due to ”very, very heavy seas”.
”It’s also just a mechanical thing. Things get damaged and the damage increases. Big forces are exerted on the vessel and this causes a minor problem to become a major problem,” said Botes. He said this is not an uncommon occurrence.
Pollution from any fuel aboard the ship will not pose any threat as the ship sank far away from the coast. — Sapa