Browsed by
Tag: Persian Gulf

Update: Stolt Explosion

Update: Stolt Explosion

The 150 meter long, 25269 dwt chemical tanker Stolt Valor suffered an explosion while proceeding through the Persian Gulf near Jubail, Saudi Arabia ( 27.5072° / 50.26581).     Twenty four of the 25 crew on board abandoned ship into the vessel’s life rafts.   All were quickly rescued by a nearby naval vessel.  One crewman was reported missing but was confirmed dead the next day.   Authorities have dispatched fire fighting tugs to the scene.   The Stolt Valor had departed from Jubail with 13000 metric tons of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) bound for Bahrain.   Reports state MTBE is highly toxic and is a known to cause cancer.

The Stolt Valor was held off Somalia in 2008 after being hijacked by pirates.    The vessel remained in pirates hands for two months until it was released.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Pavit Without a Crew

Pavit Without a Crew

The 2070 dwt tanker Pavit went ashore at Juhu Beach near Mumbai, India.   The tanker became disabled after the engine failed and drifted ashore.   However, there was no crew on board and no distress call was sent to the authorities.    It is suspected that the Pavit broke down in the Persian Gulf and the tanker’s crew was rescued sometime during the first week of July.  After the rescue, the Pavit was left adrift until it went ashore on the coast of India.   Authorities state it will take up to three weeks to free the stranded vessel.

Enhanced by Zemanta