A rescue effort is under way in Australia to try and save 21 crew members who are stranded on a cargo ship in Sydney that is drifting toward cliffs in rough seas, local ABC news reported on Monday.
A police official reportedly stated that shortly after departing the Tasman Sea port city of Wollongong at around 7:30 a.m. local time, the bulk carrier which sails under the Hong Kong flag lost power and began to drift towards the cliffs in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney.
Meanwhile, in an effort to help the ship in distress, in roughly two hours, a second tugboat is anticipated to arrive to the area.
"My understanding is that the tugboat that is being sent has the capacity to tow it further to sea and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority will co-ordinate the resources needed to get it under way out of its own power," the official reportedly said.
According to the report, an airlift plan for the crew has been scrapped since it was deemed too risky at the moment. Emergency services were en route to the cargo ship, according to New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet, in an effort to transport eight non-essential crew members to safety.
"It is obviously a very precarious position and our thoughts are with those on board," he is quoted as saying.
Strong gusts and torrential rain are battering the ship as it travels over a 500-kilometer stretch of the state's south coast from Newcastle to Bateman's Bay, according to reports.
June and July are considered the coldest months in Australia, which is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, and the storms are not of an unusual occurrence.
However, Sydney residents are currently getting "a little bit of reprieve in the rain," Australian Bureau of Meteorology reportedly said, although a gale warning and severe weather warning are still in effect.