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Date: 13 JUNE 2018 Type: Explosion and Fire Voyage: From Krishnapattinam to Kolkata
Reports have been received that Indian flag vessel SSL KOLKATA (9,956, built 2007) suffered an explosion and fire yesterday whilst on a voyage from Krishnapattinam, north of Chennai, to Kolkata
The fire spread rapidly through the vessel and the twenty-two member Indian crew finally abandoned ship at around 0830 today. Eleven of them had already been rescued by the Indian Coast Guard Ship Rajkiran that sailed from Haldia late yesterday after receiving an SOS from the stricken vessel.
According to reports, shortly after midnight there seems to have been an explosion in one of the containers.
The ship’s crew made immediate efforts to control the situation but due to high winds the fire quickly spread. As the ship started losing stability, the master decided to manoeuvre the vessel to a shallower part of the Sandheads, off Kolkata.
Coast Guard vessels are now in attendance to fight the fire and to try to prevent a pollution incident if possible.
SSL KOLKATA is a feeder vessel which trades between ports on the eastern coast of India. She is likely to be carrying transhipment cargoes loaded and for discharge at ports elsewhere, as well as local cargoes.
