AN INQUIRY under the auspices of the Department of Transport has been instigated into the sinking of the Panamanian-flagged vessel Cordigliera off the Transkei coast last month with loss of all crew.
Captain Robert Zanders of the Marine Division is in charge and they will gather what information they can for forwarding to the Flag State authorities, in this case Panama.
Insurers and cargo owners may also decide to gather further evidence. There is, for example, talk of a robot probe being sent down to examine the wreck which is thought to be lying in about 80 metres of water.
According to Captain Zanders his department doesn't think there was any negligence involved. The ship was well founded and in good condition with a competent crew. Their thinking leans towards that notorious phenomenon, the freak wave. At the time of the disaster all conditions were right for such an occurrence and the Cordigliera was sailing in the right spot for such a wave. Or in this case, the wrong spot.
The 16 525 dwt general cargo ship was carrying a cargo of granite blocks, steel and paper in addition to bagged ammonium nitrate.
She was also carrying over 1000 tons of fuel oil when she sailed from Durban, of which 880 tons was heavy fuel oil, which doesn't easily disperse. Some of this has already begun washing ashore along the East Cape coast.
Charterers of the vessel are Marimed.
