Maersk Honam fire put out, no pollution threat, says Indian Coast Guard
Ramadas Rao, India | 9 March 2018
The fire on board the container ship Maersk Honam, which had been raging since the night of 06 March has been brought under control by the fire-fighting ship Shoor, the Indian Coast Guard has stated on Friday.
Four missing crew are feared to have been trapped inside the ship and the search continues.Twenty-three seafarers were rescued among whom one crew member died on Thursday after inhaling toxic fumes.
The 330-m vessel, which had departed Singapore with hazardous cargo and was headed towards Suez, had caught fire in the Arabian Sea about 390 n-miles from the Lakshadweep Islands, which are under the jurisdiction of the Indian government.
“Thick plume of toxic fumes have been replaced by white smoke which is a sign of cooling down of metal fire onboard the mega container ship,” the Indian Coast Guard has said in its latest update on the incident.
Sustained fire-fighting by Shoor prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the ship.
Swift action to contain the fire has averted a mega marine pollution in the Arabian Sea considering the amount of dangerous cargo the vessel was carrying, the Coast Guard has stated.
Coast Guard Commander West, IG KR Nautiyal lauded the successful operation carried out 630 n-miles away from the mainland.