- Repairs to the Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship damaged by an explosion on Friday night are now completed.
- The Gibraltar Government confirmed on Monday, as two seafarers injured in the blast remained in critical condition in Seville.
- The bulk carrier CSSC Cape Town will remain in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters while an investigation continues into the cause of the blast.
- It was in the vessel’s forecastle where the anchor mechanism is housed.
A recent news article published in the Gibraltar Chronicle, written by Priya Gulraj reveals that two seafarers remain critical as repairs to damaged cargo ship are completed.
Explosion and the aftermath
The bulk carrier CSSC Cape Town will remain in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters while an investigation continues into the cause of the blast, which was in the vessel’s forecastle where the anchor mechanism is housed.
Due to where the explosion took place, the vessel was kept on the east side of the Rock until repairs were carried out.
The Captain of the Port, Manuel Tirado, told GBC on Monday: “The repairs were done on the eastern side and due to the fact that there was an explosion, we couldn’t take a risk, neither the port or the captain of the vessel, to drop anchor as the explosion originated in the area of the anchor.”
Mr Tirado would not be drawn on the causes of the explosion until the investigation was concluded.
The explosion occurred late Friday and the following day technicians boarded the vessel to assess the situation and repair the anchor mechanism, Mr Tirado said.
Also read LPG tanker fire and explosion
Seafarers injured
“Late evening on Saturday the vessel was able to anchor on the western side, they are taking bunkers and there is an investigation ongoing,” Mr Tirado said, adding that once the investigation is concluded the vessel will be free to move on.
As a result of the explosion, a total of four crew members sustained injuries, and two were treated on board.
Two seafarers who suffered serious injuries were taken to St Bernard’s Hospital and were later transferred to a specialist Seville hospital unit after sustaining 40% and 25% burns.
Details of the vessel
The CSSC Cape Town entered British Gibraltar Territorial Waters loaded with 112, 365 metric tonnes of coal, loaded at Curtis Bay Coal Terminal in the United States.
Also read bulk carrier explodes injuring 4 crew members
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Source: Gibraltar Chronicle
