JOC Staff | Aug 04, 2011 10:52AM EDT
A Panama-flag bulk cargo vessel sank in early morning Thursday about 25 nautical miles off the Mumbai coast, Indian maritime agencies said.
All 30 members of the MV Rak Carrier’s crew were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard following distress calls from the merchant ship. Its crew included Indonesian, Jordanian and Romanian nationals.
“We suspect that some holes in the ship resulted in the seeping in of water,” a Coast Guard official said.
Reports said the 63,695-deadweight-ton Rak Carrier was on a voyage from Indonesia with about 60,000 tons of coal bound for the Port of Dahej, a bulk cargo hub in India’s western state of Gujarat.
Reports also said at the time of its sinking, the 220-meter vessel had about 290 tons of fuel oil and around 50 tons of diesel oil left in its tanks.
“There is no immediate threat of oil spill or pollution from the cargo but we are closely monitoring the situation,” the Directorate General of Shipping said.
The 1984-built Rak Carrier is reportedly owned by Delta Shipping Marine Services, Qatar.
