Terry Hutson AS THIS issue went to press on Monday morning, the cause of the explosion aboard the Pacific International Lines container ship Sea Elegance at the weekend was still unclear. The ship caught fire while at anchor in the Durban roadstead on Saturday morning after what appears to have been an engine room explosion. The resulting fire soon spread through the accommodation area and onto the stern area where a number of containers are stored. Tugs from the port of Durban were quickly on the scene and fought throughout the day and night to contain the fire to the stern section, where FTW learned that only empty containers were carried. One of the crew of 24 is reported missing, feared dead. Of the others two were taken to hospital with minor injuries and thirteen remained on board with the ship’s master. By Sunday the tugs had stopped pumping water onto the ship, which had begun listing from the weight of water taken onboard. However the fire appeared to be under control and had not at that stage carried to the front of the ship, which is loaded with full containers. The salvage tug John Ross, which left Durban late last week after delivering another stricken container ship Sea-Land Express to the Durban ship repair yards, hastened back from Port Elizabeth to render assistance in case it is decided to tow the ship away from the shore. Captain Nick Sloane of Smit Salvage also arrived from Cape Town to take charge of the salvage operations. Several ship surveyors told FTW at the weekend that in their private opinion the Sea Elegance, which is 23 years old, would be beyond repair after such an extensive fire in the engine room and accommodation.
