The Hindu Business Line : Oil tanker sinks after collision, crew rescued

M.V. Delta, a 6,000 deadweight tonnage oil tanker with a 19-member crew, on its way from Kandla Port to Bunderabad in Iran sank without a trace following a head-on collision with Busan, an American President Line container vessel.

Kotateguh, a container vessel carrying a Singapore flag, heard the distress signal put out by the sinking vessel at around 5.45 a.m. and rushed to the spot, some 20 nautical miles off the Vadinar coast.

In a salvage operation that lasted over two hours, the crew of the Singapore vessel managed to save 18 crew members of the sinking vessel, while the coast guard saved one.

Talking to Business Line, Mr R.T. Revankar, Traffic Manager, Kandla Port Trust (KPT), said Delta had set sail from Kandla port only at 0045 hours after discharging 3,723 tonnes of naphtha. It sailed only for some four-and-a-half hours before the mishap occurred and sank a little before 8.00 a.m. after catching fire, he said.

"The crew members of Delta, of different nationalities, are safe as they were brought to Kandla port, where Kotateguh was headed. According to Raju Ranjan, the only Delta crew of Indian origin, it is a second life for him as the Singapore vessel, sailing from Colombo to Kandla could reach the spot so quickly after hearing the distress signal. It was divine intervention by the crew of the Singapore vessel as they carried out a perfect salvage operation," Mr Revankar said.

Foggy conditions prevalent at the accident site is being cited as the reason for the head-on collision of the two vessels. The larger sized APL container vessel, apparently not realising the extent of the damage, continued on its course and docked at Mundra port.

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