Fire On Ship Results In Casualty In Persian Gulf

A fire onboard the containership ‘MSC Rita’ reportedly resulted in the death of one crew member in the Persian Gulf last week.

The ship was anchored outside of the port of Khalifa, Abu Dhabi, awaiting to dock, when an explosion was quickly followed by a fire onboard. The 8,034-teu ship arrived at the port on 6th June, after calling Jebel Ali the day before.

UAE Search and Rescue responded to a Mayday call from the vessel and airlifted one crew member to hospital via helicopter. Tragically, subsequent reports, have suggested that the 48 year old from Montenegro died in the accident.

Ship data shows that the the ship's last port of call was in Jebel Ali on the 5th June, and with no subsequent data being transmitted, it is still shown to be anchored outside of Abu Dhabi.

There have been numerous incidents of fires on containerships during recent years, which in some cases have resulted in the complete loss of the vessel and its cargo. In February, crew members abandoned the vessel 'Escape' after failing to extinguish a fire on board.

This tragic incident highlights the importance of ensuring traders have the correct cargo insurance in place to protect them against limited carrier liabilities. If you are unsure about this, then please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Croft Cargo team.

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Video courtesy of @NRSCUAE on twitter.

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