8 dead as ship sinks off Colombia coast

BOGOTA – A Colombian cargo ship sank off the country’s Pacific coast, leaving eight people dead, the navy said Saturday.

Another 14 people were plucked out of the water.

The ship called the Claudia Alejandra ended up adrift Thursday, apparently because of a mechanical breakdown, in stormy waters and ultimately sank.

On Friday, the navy rescued the survivors and found three bodies. On Saturday, navy vessels and fishermen found five more bodies.

So far this year, the Colombian navy has rescued 331 people and saved 43 ships in the Pacific.