The fishing vessel Lai Ching suffered an explosion and fire while fishing in the South Atlantic off the coast of Uruguay. The vessel’s crew of 37 went to the lifeboats and many were rescued by the fishing vessel Hsiang Man Ching. Reports state that 3 men were killed in the explosion with another 4 listed as missing. Another 18 men were injured either by the explosion or fire. The surviving crew of the Lai Ching are being taken to Cape Town, South Africa.
The 27 crewmen of the fishing vessel Daichi Shoei Maru were forced to abandon ship after the vessel caught fire while 500 miles east of Guam. The vessel reported to the Japan Coast Guard that the vessel was on fire and required assistance. The Coast Guard contacted a nearby 17,800 dwt boxship South Islander to aid in the rescue of the fishermen. A Coast Guard aircraft was also deployed and was able to direct the rescue effort. Before the South Islander reached the Daichi Shoei Maru, the crew abandoned ship and went to the life rafts. Moments later, the fishing vessel exploded leaving the Daichi Shoei Maru a burning wreck. Luckily, the South Islander reached the seen shortly afterwards and all 27 crewmen were safely transfered to the freighter. No reports to the cause of the fire.
The 1125 ts inland tanker Alpsray exploded while berthed at the BP refinery at Lingen, Germany. The Alpsray was being loaded with premium fuel when a fire broke out. The fire quickly enveloped the Alpsray and there were several explosions. The five crew members on board the Alpsray were safely rescued. One crewman had to be treated for minor injuries. Local firefighters were able to get the fire under control using an extinguishing foam. Reports state traffic on the Dortmund-Ems Canal had to be stopped due to this incident. Initial estimates state the damage will be in the millions. Pollution has been released. The cause of the explosion is not known, but negligent arson is suspected.
