Emergency rescue operation for commercial vessel fire off Limassol

A search-and-rescue operation was launched on the morning of Thursday, November 12, 2026, after a fire broke out in the engine room of the Somalia-flagged commercial vessel 'Afadja'. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) received a distress signal at 11:40 a.m. while the ship was located eight nautical miles southeast of Cape Gata within the territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus.

Upon receiving the signal, the JRCC activated the 'Nearchos' national search-and-rescue plan. A multi-agency response was coordinated, involving a police helicopter, naval vessels 'Ioannidis' and 'Ammochostos', a coast guard speedboat 'Trikomo', the fire department's EMAK unit, and the 'EDT Aether' fire-fighting tugboat. The fire was successfully extinguished with the assistance of the 'EDT Aether' and coast guard assets.

All 12 crew members of the 'Afadja' are confirmed to be safe and in good health. Following the successful containment of the fire, the vessel was towed to a safe area within the Bay of Limassol to ensure continued stability and security. No further incidents were reported, and the operation concluded once the vessel was moved to a secure location.