International response to fire on VLCC tanker in the Indian Ocean

International response to fire on VLCC tanker in the Indian Ocean


An international effort responded to a fire that broke out aboard the VLCC New Diamond, located approximately 38 nautical miles off the coast of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean.

The vessel, which is reported to be carrying 270,000 metric tons of crude oil, equivalent to approximately 2 million barrels, was abandoned with one crew member unaccounted for and another injured, while the efforts went on to control the fire.

According to reports from Sri Lanka’s navy and coast guard, a distress signal was received from the vessel after an explosion and subsequent fire broke out in the engine room at around 7:45 am local time.

The vessel, registered in Panama and operating under charter to the Indian Oil company, was reported to have a crew of 23 onboard and was sailing fully loaded from Kuwait bound for the oil refinery at the Indian port of Paradip.

A broad range of vessels were dispatched to the scene including another product tanker the Helen M which was reported to have rescued 19 of the crew members. The Sri Lanka navy vessel Ranarisi reached the disaster scene and also put a rescue team aboard the New Diamond.

They rescued the vessel’s third engineer and later transferred him to shore reportedly having suffered burns. The tanker’s captain and one other crew member were rescued separately by the Sri Lanka navy ship Sayura. One Filipino crew member is reported missing.

For more information visit www.iocl.com

7th September 2020