Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Jul 27: A fire that erupted on the container ship M V Maersk Frankfurt in the Arabian Sea, 30 nautical miles from Mangaluru, was finally extinguished after a week. The vessel is now sailing towards Colombo.
The vessel, which was carrying dangerous goods of category 4 to Colombo, caught fire on July 19, with blasts occurring at the front side. The coast guard deployed vessels and helicopters, using large amounts of dry chemical powder to douse the flames. The old airport in the city served as a temporary base for the coast guard operations.
Despite the fire, the vessel continued sailing, and coast guard teams sprayed chemicals while it was moving. The vessel is now headed towards Colombo, and none of the 21 crew members were injured.
The vessel left Mundra port on July 17 and was supposed to reach Colombo. The fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. The vessel is stable, with all navigation and other equipment functioning properly.
Deputy commissioner Mullai Muhilan stated, “As the vessel is sailing at a distance of 30 nautical miles from the city, there is no danger to the beach areas of the city. There is no reason for the public to panic. The coast guard, NMPT, and district administration are prepared to face any eventuality.”