Tanker suffers onboard explosion off western India; all 21 crew rescued

A chemical tanker suffered an onboard fire and a subsequent explosion while off the coast of Gujarat state in western India on Sunday, July 6.

The incident on the Hong Kong-flagged Fulda occurred at around 13:00 local time on Sunday. The ship then listed to starboard by over 22 degrees but later shifted to port as the crew worked to keep it stable.

Six hours had elapsed by the time the captain ordered an immediate evacuation upon determining that the vessel's condition had not improved.

The Kandla Port Authority subsequently deployed a tug to evacuate all 21 of Fulda's crew as the tanker's structural integrity continued to deteriorate.

The Indian Coast Guard has also deployed vessels to the area to monitor the tanker and be on the lookout for any signs of pollution.

Indian officials said that Fulda remains afloat as of Tuesday, July 8, with no signs of water ingress or oil pollution.

The tanker had departed Kandla Port was en route to Sohar in Oman at the time of the incident.