Hope fades for missing crewmembers

South African maritime rescue authorities will decide later Friday whether they should call off the search for the 26 missing crewmembers of the Alexandros T, who abandoned ship off the East Coast on Wednesday. Seven crewmembers were rescued. The ship’s life boats were spotted on Thursday, but were empty. Life jackets and life rings were spotted on Friday morning. The salvage tug Smit Amandla reached the search area overnight and two other vessels and an Air Force C-one-thirty are taking part in the search. Mark Steed of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Cape Town said that the chances of finding anyone alive are getting slimmer and slimmer. Sea coinditions are rough and are getting worse.