Seafarers missing after Haifa collision

Two Slovak seafarers are missing following a collision between a passenger ship and a small general cargo vessel off the Israeli port of Haifa late yesterday. The Cyprus-registered passenger ship Salamis Glory and the Shelly were both outbound from Haifa when the incident occurred less than 2n-miles from the port's breakwater. Coast Guard officers told reporters they believed a failure in the steering gear on board the Salamis Glory caused the collision. The Shelly, operated by Israel's Caspi Lines, quickly broke up and sank. All thirteen crew leapt into the water and all but two were quickly recovered by a Haifa tug. Coast Guard and Israel Navy teams searched throughout the night for the missing pair as helicopters dropped illumination flares over the area, but without success. One survivor told reporters he barely had time to don his lifejacket and jump before the Shelly went down. There were no injuries on board the Salamis Glory.