Stricken oil tanker pushed from Sri Lankan coast
05 September, 2020
A fire-stricken oil tanker was pushed away from Sri Lanka's coast and into deeper waters on Saturday (Sep 5), rescuers said, after successfully containing the blaze throughout a 36-hour operation.
The Panamanian-registered New Diamond carrying 270,000 tonnes of crude had drifted dangerously near the eastern shores of Sri Lanka since issuing a distress message on Thursday morning.
The Indian Coast Guard and the Sri Lankan navy said the 330-metre vessel was towed overnight to deeper waters some 60km from the coast.
"There is absolutely no oil slick reported," the Indian Coast Guard said after a joint effort by both countries to contain the blaze.
Sri Lanka's navy said rescuers were still spraying foam on the vessel but that the blaze had been brought under control.
There is no immediate threat of the tanker splitting up despite a 2m crack in the hull 10m above the waterline, it said.
The fire was triggered by an engine room explosion that killed a Filipino crewman on Thursday morning as the vessel was passing Sri Lanka coming to the Indian port of Paradip.
It issued a distress signal 60km from Sri Lanka's eastern coastal town of Sangamankanda Point.
Three tugboats - two Indian and one chartered by the owners - were brought into action on Friday night to push the vessel back into deeper waters amid fears of an environmental disaster if the oil leak.
The fire was triggered by an engine room explosion that killed a Filipino crewman on Thursday morning but has since been brought in order. (Photo: AFP)
A complete of 16 vessels, including specialised firefighting tugs and four aircraft, were deployed to bring the blaze in order by Friday night.
Sri Lanka's Marine Environment Protection Agency said legal action could be taken against the owners, Liberian-registered Porto Emporios Shipping Inc "if the worst happen and the ship breaks up".
Sri Lankan officials said they were considering a ship-to-ship transfer of the crude before salvaging the tanker.
The vessel is larger than japan bulk carrier MV Wakashio, which crashed right into a reef in Mauritius in July leaking a lot more than 1,000 tonnes of oil in to the island nation's pristine waters.
The Maldives, which neighbours Sri Lanka, has raised concerns that any oil spill from the brand new Diamond might lead to serious environmental damage in the atoll of more than 1,000 coral islands that's heavily reliant on tourism and fishing.
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