Vessel, Team Focus, reported an explosion aboard the Fulda during gas-freeing operations  the Fulda, a 26-year-old tanker en route to Port Sohar, Oman, departed Kandla in India

Yesterday Monday an Explosion as terrible incident off Western Coast of the Indian port of Kandla when the Hong Kong-flagged Chemical tanker Fulda ( 21 crew  ) caught fire and experienced an onboard explosion during routine operations.

It is noteworthy that the Fulda, a 26-year-old tanker en route to Port Sohar, Oman, departed Kandla at 11:00 IST. At approximately 13:05 IST, a nearby vessel, Team Focus, reported an explosion aboard the Fulda during gas-freeing operations — a standard safety procedure used to ventilate flammable vapors from cargo tanks.

India’s Directorate General of Shipping 

India’s Directorate General of Shipping stated that the explosion was reported at approximately 13:05 IST by the nearby cargo vessel Team Focus. Fulda was carrying 21 crew members, including one Indonesian, two Bangladeshi, seven Myanmarese, and eleven Chinese nationals

The chemical tanker developed a 22 degrees list to starboard following the explosion which later shifted to port as the crew attempted to stabilize the situation through damage control operations. The Fulda, owned by Hong Kong-based Fulda Industrial, was carrying 384.17 tonnes of fuel at the time of the incident.

Evacuated all 21 crew members.

Kandla Port Authority dispatched the tug Orchid Star, which successfully evacuated all 21 crew members. The Indian Coast Guard dispatched two vessels ICGS C-429, and Samudra Pavak along with two support tugs to assist the distressed vessel.

As per latest update the Fulda remains afloat with no report of water ingress  authorities have launched a full-scale pollution control operation as a precaution  Until now no oil spill has been reported, the vessel sustained significant structural damage.

Related : An oil tanker exploded off the coast of Libya, causing no injuries.

source : Agencies

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