Thai officials are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out on an oil tanker, killing one crew member and seriously injuring a senior crew member who jumped overboard during the incident on Sunday.
Ampar 8 was transporting 3.2 million litres of crude oil when it suddenly burst into flames, making it the second oil tanker fire in less than a month.
According to Maritime Executive, the Thailand Marine Department said it had launched a thorough investigation into the incident.
“The 3500-dwt tanker named Ampar 8 was travelling along the Chao Phraya River toward Bangkok where it was to offload the crude to a refinery. Shortly after midday on March 27, the vessel was rocked by an explosion in its bow followed by a billowing fire. Some reports indicated that it was preparing to dock but drifted downriver before anchoring,” Maritime Executive reported.
According to the report, the Royal Thai Navy and local rescue services had dispatched tugs to fight the fire and remove 12 crew members from the stern of the vessel.
“Two crew members were unaccounted for and they later found that the deputy captain was badly burned and jumped overboard, with the crew recovering his body from the river. A second crew member was found injured aboard the vessel and taken to a hospital,” the report said.
