Maersk-Chartered Panama-Flagged Vessel Faces Tragic Explosion and Fire En Route from Mundra to Colombo

A Panama-flagged newbuilding chartered by Maersk experienced an explosion on July 19, leading to a fire while en route from Mundra to Colombo, as reported by Seatrade Maritime. The incident resulted in the tragic death of one crew member, whose body was found in the lashing bridge but could not be retrieved due to the ongoing flames. Maersk confirmed that the remaining crew members are safe and accounted for, and the vessel remains stable despite the continuing fire.

The Indian Coast Guard has been actively involved in firefighting efforts, deploying four vessels and using a helicopter to drop 150 kg of dry chemical powder onto the blaze. Deputy Inspector General of Indian Coast Guard-Goa Manoj Bhatia reported that while the fire is under control, it has not been fully extinguished and may take another three to four days to completely douse the flames. The fire persists inside containers located at the fore of the vessel.