ZAGREB, Nov 14 (AFP) - Gale-force winds paralysed air, road and sea traffic along Croatia's Adriatic coast on Sunday, causing delays, cancellations and power failures, while dozens of people were injured and three were reported missing in the sea, media reports said.
Two Austrians, a man and a woman, fell into the sea early on Sunday from a yacht some 30 nautic miles southwest of the northern Adriatic town of Pula, close to the maritime border line between Italy and Croatia, the national center for search and rescue said.
Due to strong Bora winds rescuers on the Italian and Croatian side were not immediately able to search for them.
A fisherman from the northern island of Krk was also reported missing.
In the northern Adriatic town of Rijeka winds, gusting up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) per hour, toppled trees and ripped off roof-tiles.
Dozens of people were injured and hospitalized in coastal towns and on the islands, notably some 30 in Rijeka, with 20 of them sustaining serious injuries, national radio reported.
Railway and road traffic in the Rijeka region was also disrupted, while parts of the highway linking the capital Zagreb with the southern town of Split were closed.
Due to strong winds airports at Dubrovnik and Split on the southern Adriatic canceled flights, airport authorities said.
Ferry connections to most Adriatic islands were also cancelled and some of the islands had power cuts.
A ferry linking Split with the Italian port of Ancona, which had 140 passangers and some 30 vehicles on board, had trouble to dock in the Split port due to engine problems. Eventually, with the help of divers sent from Split the Split 1700 ferry docked safely after a delay of a few hours.
11/14/2004 19:56 GMT - AFP