The search continues for two crew members from a Spanish fishing boat who went missing after their vessel collided with the Singapore-flagged car carrier Baltic Breeze off the port of Vigo in northwest Spain.

Three other fishermen lost their lives in the accident but five others were picked up from the water following the collision between their vessel Mar de Marin, and the Baltic Breeze.

Crisis communications specialists MTI Network told that the search for the missing fishermen had resumed early this morning but, so far, without result. MTI Network's Sheena Campbell-Royle said that the waters where the fishing vessel had sunk were "complicated" and that a tug was being used to check whether it was safe for divers to go down to the wreck, which lies at a depth of about 50m.

She added that an investigation was under way but that it was not yet known how the accident had occurred. The collision occurred at about 0100 hours UT yesterday 1.5 nm off Vigo, where the 1983-built, 29,979gt Baltic Breeze, which was unladen, was due to pick up cargo destined for delivery to Algeria.

Wallenius Marine Singapore, the vessel's manager, and UECC, its charterer offered "heartfelt condolences" to the bereaved families of the fishermen. They said that they understood that the Baltic Breeze had lowered a rescue boat immediately after the accident to participate in the search for survivors alongside a vessel and helicopter sent by the Vigo port authority.

They added that they would be cooperating fully with the Spanish authorities in their investigations into the causes of the accident.(Source: HIS Maritime)