One dead, one missing following vessel fire in Bay of Bengal

One person was killed and another has gone missing after a fire broke out on a platform supply vessel (PSV) in the Bay of Bengal off India’s southeastern coast on Monday, August 12.

The incident began shortly after 11:00 local time when a blaze erupted in an unspecified area on board the PSV Coastal Jaguar.

An explosion soon followed, and the ensuing thick, black smoke forced the vessel’s crew of 29 to jump into the water to avoid being consumed by the rapidly spreading flames.

Three responding Indian Coast Guard vessels were able to rescue all but two of Coastal Jaguar‘s crew. One crewmember drowned before he could be rescued while a second individual remains unaccounted for.

Five of the rescued crew suffered severe burns and have since been rushed to hospital. They are reportedly in critical condition.

The search for the missing crewmember continues as local authorities seek to determine the cause of the fire.