(Seychelles News Agency) - A cargo vessel sailing from the Seychelles main island of Mahé to the second most populated island off Praslin sank this afternoon, Joachim Valmont, the Director General of the Seychelles Maritime Safety Administration has confirmed.

The schooner “Arc en Ciel” sank off Mamelles rocks in the deep waters midway between Mahe and Praslin. 

Valmont told SNA over the phone that the vessel had left Mahé bound for Praslin at around 1.15 pm and the incident is presumed to have occurred around an hour later.

All 10 people who were on board have been rescued.

“Five were rescued by the vessel “La Belle Praslinoise” and the other five by another vessel “Praslin Hero,” Valmont told SNA.

Arc en Ciel is used for transporting goods between Mahé and Praslin.

The SMSA is conducting an investigation to determine why the boat sank.