Rescuers boarded the product tanker Aulac Fortune after the fire onboard the vessel was completely put out in a bid to find missing crew.
after the fire onboard the vessel was completely put out in a bid to find missing crew.The Vietnam-flagged vessel suffered a massive series of explosions onboard last Tuesday while bunkering, resulting in the death of one crewmember.
The rescue team sent divers into the ship over the weekend but did not find any crewmembers.
In the meantime, another part of the rescue team found the body of a missing seafarer near the coast of Lantau Island off Hong Kong.
The search for the remaining victim is still underway.
According to an official at Hong Kong’s Maritime Department, discussions are underway with the owner of the ship on a plan to tow the ship away. Currently, the ship shows no signs of sinking and leaking oil.
The usually reliable Insurance Marine News reports that investigators are now saying the explosions were triggered from within a cargo hold of the tanker after an accumulation of flammable gas. There was no oil cargo on the ship at the time. The force of the explosions fanned out from the cargo holds, severely damaging other compartments and ripping open part of the main deck.
