A shuttle tanker docked at the Eastern Refinery in Chittagong, Bangladesh exploded today, September 30, killing three crewmembers. The Coast Guard and Navy along with local resources responded to the subsequent fire which also forced vessels to be moved to a safety zone.
An explosion ripped through the forward section of the 14,500 dwt shuttle tanker Banglar Jyoti at 11:00 am local time with a large plume of smoke from the fire seen rising from the vessel. Later pictures showed the deck of the vessel ripped apart and thrust upward while port officials said they were also checking the harbor for debris.
Officials said the intensity of the explosion made it unsurvivable and later in the day they recovered the body of a deck cadet and another body that had not yet been identified. Reports said two technicians were missing after the explosion in addition to the cadet. Teams were still searching the wreckage.
The tanker which was built in 1987 is owned by the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation. It was used to shuttle oil from larger offshore tankers to the Eastern Refinery.
Some reports are indicating the crew was making repairs to the vessel while others said it was still offloading 11,000 tons of crude from larger tankers offshore. The fire was reported to be under control after about two to three hours. Eight fire units responded assisted by the Navy and Coast Guard.
A team of inquiry has already been formed to look into the incident. It comes in the same month in which six workers were killed, and six others badly injured at a scrapyard in Chittagong working on a retired tanker. Employer associations complained in the past of lax enforcement of safety regulations. The board of inquiry fined the breaker and suspended its operating license while the last report said six workers remained in a hospital with burns. The board also made extensive safety recommendations.
Source: The Maritime Executive
