RI crew rescued in Cypriot oil tanker accident

OSLO, Norway (AP): A Cypriot oil tanker ran aground off the western Norwegian coast and split in two, spilling several hundred tons of oil into the sea.

All 25 crew members were saved, Norwegian rescue officials said Saturday.

The 180-meter "Server" was headed for the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk on Friday when it hit rocks in a storm off the coast near Bergen, 275 kilometers (165 miles) northwest of Oslo, around 6:30 p.m. (5:30GMT).

The crew members, mostly Indonesians, were rescued and flown by helicopter to Bergen, officials said.

"No one was hurt," said Siv Namork, from the Joint Rescue Coordination Center.

The vessel, which was stuck on the rocks, split in two some four hours after the accident.

The tanker had 650 metric tons (720 short tons) of oil on board, but no other cargo. About 300 metric tons of oil leaked into the sea.