On June 29, the 90 meter long, 3602 dwt tanker Yi Cheng 6 (IMO: 1067471) caught fire in the Gulf of Oman off India. The Yi Cheng 6 was headed to Shinas, Oman from Kandla, India when a fire broke out in the vessel’s engine room. The fire quickly grew out of control resulting the main engine being damaged and a power blackout. Unable to contain the blaze, the tanker sent out a distress call.
Photo: Indian Navy
Photo: Indian Navy
Photo: Indian Navy
Photo: Indian Navy
The Indian Navy responded with the frigate INS Tabar (MMSI: 419032700) arriving on site. The Navy deployed a response team which safely transferred the 9 crew off the Yi Cheng 6 while a firefighting team. Reports stated 5 crew and 13 navy personnel were able to contain the fire. No reports of injuries and no pollution was released. No details released if the tanker will require a tow or if the crew will be able to make repairs and restore power.
On the morning of June 27, the 120 meter long, 8184 dwt bulk carrier Altay (IMO: 9349992) caught fire in the North Sea while berthed at Kingston-upon-Hull, England. The fire started in the cargo hold that was loaded with 3500 tons of scrap metal. Large gray plumes of smoke enveloped the bulk carrier which forced an evacuation of the crew. The local fire brigade was called out with five fire engines involved in extinguishing the blaze. Nearby residents were advised to keep their windows and doors closed as smoke spread through out the city. No reports of injuries.
Fire fighters stated it would take some time to completely extinguish the blaze. Witnesses reported there were still thick smoke with a smell of burning rubber in the area 5 hours after the blaze had started. Authorities have stated getting access to the area in the hold where the fire was not feasible. Thus, the fire brigade is unloading the burning scrap onto the quay where it would be extinguished. This operation went all day into early the next morning until the fire was finally extinguished. Crews remain on site just in case the fire would reignite again.
Photo: independent.co.uk
Photo: bbc.co.uk
Photo: bbc.co.uk
Photo: bbc.co.uk
Photo: bbc.co.uk
Photo: bbc.co.uk
Photo: itv.com
Photo: express.co.uk
There has been no reports of the extent of damage to the Altay or to the cargo of scrap. UK authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
On June 23, the the 183 meter long, 12250 dwt car carrier Morning Midas (IMO: 9289910) sank in the Pacific Ocean some 450 miles southwest of Alaska’s Aleutian Island of Adak after being on fire for nearly 3 weeks. The salvage company Zodiac Maritime stated the vessel had suffered water ingress from the fire damage causing the vessel to finally sink. The car carrier sank to a depth of 16,404 feet.
POLLUTION
There was no reports of visible pollution at the site of the sinking. The United States Coast Guard reported they have vessels on scene ready to respond to any pollution released. Currently, the salvage vessels 47 meter long Garth Foss (IMO: 9070266) and 69 meter long Salvage Worker (IMO: 9250024) were onsite and equipped with pollution response equipment. Additionally, the 57 meter long offshore supply vessel Endeavour (IMO: 8623468) had departed from Dutch Harbor with oil pollution containment equipment and will be on site of the wreck by June 26.
Photo: USCG
The Coast Guard nor the Zodiac Maritime have no reported if any oil pollution had been released between June 9 through June 23. The Morning Midas may still have 1,530 metric tons of fuel oil along with 350 metric tons of gas oil (MGO) within its fuel tanks. Even if the fire onboard burned some of the fuel, there will be a significant amount of fuel that maybe released. This may not result in any oil pollution reaching the surface due to the depth of the wreck. In research after the Deepwater Horizon disaster (Fisher, C.R., P.A. Montagna, and T.T. Sutton. 2016. Oceanography 29(3):182–195), oil pollution can remain on the ocean bottom rather than appear on the surface as an oil slick.
INVESTIGATION
There has been no press release if the incident will be investigated any further. Some news accounts stated the Morning Midas was already unsalvageable before the Zodiac Maritime vessels arrived on site. Due to its location and great depth (the Morning Midas is nearly 3/4 of mile deeper than the wreck of the Titanic), the investigation may not include any underwater surveys using ROVs. It is also doubtful any voyage data recording devices survived the fire prior to the sinking. Additionally, the car carrier sank in international waters and may not require any US Coast Guard or other United States authorities to investigate.
