A deadly maritime accident unfolded off the coast of Yeosu, South Korea, early Saturday morning, when a fire broke out on a chemical tanker and quickly spread to a neighboring vessel, killing one captain and injuring two other seafarers.
As reported by Maritime Executive, the blaze began around 1 a.m. aboard a 2,692-dwt chemical tanker loaded with 2,500 tons of hazardous chemicals and 100 tons of fuel. Within minutes, flames engulfed a nearby 24-ton delivery ship. The risk of explosion was so severe that the Coast Guard dispatched 15 vessels to contain the fire.
All 18 crew members (14 from the tanker and four from the smaller vessel) were evacuated. Yet tragedy struck when the captain of the delivery ship, a man in his 50s, was confirmed dead. Two Myanmar nationals from the tanker suffered injuries; one remains in critical condition.
According to Maritime Executive, firefighters brought the blaze under control on the smaller vessel by 3:17 a.m., while the tanker continued to burn until nearly 7:45 a.m. Both vessels are now undergoing inspections as investigators search for the cause of the fire.
Picture: Korea Coast Guard – Yeosu
