Joseph Bonney, Senior Editor | Jul 16, 2012 12:57PM EDT
One of the 25 persons aboard the ship was reported missing and one has died from burns.
The MSC Flaminia has capacity of 6,732 20-foot equivalent units and reportedly was carrying 2,876 containers. The ship was en route from Charleston to Antwerp. The fire broke out when the ship was at about 47.52N, 30.44W, approximately midway between the U.K. and Canada.
Smit Salvage of Rottterdam has been hired by NSB Niederelbe, the MSC Flaminia’s German-based operator, to lead salvage operations. Smit has dispatched two large firefighting tugs, the first of which was expected to arrive Tuesday evening.
The U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency said it received a relayed mayday call at 10:07 GMT Saturday, and broadcast an alert to all vessels in the area. The ship’s position was about 1,000 miles from land, beyond the reach of rescue helicopters.
The supertanker DS Crown changed course to intercept the MSC Flaminia and recovered 24 persons from a lifeboat and a life raft. Three crewmembers were injured, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said. The injured seamen were transferred to the MSC Stella for transport to the Azores for treatment. Crewmembers included German, Polish and Filipino nationals.
Six other merchant vessels also proceeded to the location to help with the search-and-rescue operation but were more than six hours from the location.
Weather conditions at the scene of the accident were reported at force 3 to 4 winds with a 1-meter swell.
Contact Joseph Bonney at jbonney@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JosephBonney.
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