Filipino found at sea after Lebanon ship sinking

By Agence France-Presse, Updated: 12/19/2009

A survivor from a ship that sank earlier this week off the northern coast of Lebanon was found on Saturday near the Syrian coast farther north, a Lebanese port official said.

A survivor from a ship that sank earlier this week off the northern coast of Lebanon was found on Saturday near the Syrian coast farther north, a Lebanese port official said.

"Syrian authorities found a survivor off the coast of Tartus aboard a raft; a Philippines national named Wilson Vincent," Tripoli port authority chief Ahmad Tamer told AFP.

"We have checked and his name was on the list," Tamer said. "His condition is stable."

The find came as rescuers' hope to find more survivors dwindled after a two-day search in tough conditions for crew members and passengers from the Danny F II, a freighter carrying 82 people which went down in a storm on Thursday.

Saturday's rescue brings the count to 40 survivors and 11 dead, and search efforts are to continue throughout the day.

The Danny F II capsized about 11 nautical miles off Tripoli after sending a distress signal at 3:55 pm (1355 GMT) on Thursday.

It had left Montevideo on November 29 with about 10,000 sheep and almost 18,000 cattle bound for Tartus, north of Tripoli, but was forced to change course because of the bad weather.

It was trying to reach Beirut when disaster struck.

The ship's operator, Agencia Schandy, told AFP in Montevideo that it had a crew of 76 and six passengers -- four Uruguayans, one Brazilian and an Australian.