S. Africa Navy Rushing to Aid Foundering Ship : Maritime: A total of 368 passengers are aboard Greek vessel that sent out a distress call in storm-tossed seas.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa —  The South African navy and air force launched a rescue operation early today for 368 passengers on a Greek-registered vessel that was in danger of sinking about 80 miles off the port of East London.

George Howling, assistant port captain at East London, said the ship, the Oceanis, sent out a distress call late Saturday saying it was leaking and that one watertight compartment was flooded.

It said crew and passengers had been sent to lifeboat stations but had not begun to abandon ship.

“We are hoping they won’t have to take to the lifeboats in this weather. The sea is very rough,” Howling said.

A radio operator at the Durban Marine Radio Station who was in touch with the 7,550-ton ship said no other vessels had reached the area by early this morning. He said it was unclear whether any lifeboats had been launched.

“We are uncertain about that. Apparently they are having major problems in launching the lifeboats,” the operator said.

“The sea is very rough down there, and the engine room is flooded. It’s a very desolate part of the coast.”

He said the ship’s officers were being advised to keep the passengers on board until dawn if possible because of the bad weather.

“The idea is to get all rescue operations in full swing at first light,” he said.

A Cape Town shipping official said the vessel was registered in the Greek port of Piraeus to the E. Pirotiki Steamship Navigation Co. and was built in 1953.

The Oceanis has been cruising off the South African coast for most of July and was en route from East London to Durban after a short cruise with a wedding party, officials said.

Howling said the ship had survived possibly the worst gale of the year, with winds in excess of 80 m.p.h., 24 hours before its distress call.