Research ship catches fire, 16 scientists, 30 others saved
Deepthi Sanjiv | TNN | Mar 17, 2019, 05:52 IST
MANGALURU: It was a close shave for 30 crew members and 16 scientists after a fire broke out on Ocean Research Vehicle (ORV) Sagar Sampada on Friday night when the ship was operating 40 nautical miles off the Mangaluru coast. All the 46 on board were rescued and brought to safety on Saturday.
"I was serving food at a get-together around 8.15pm. Suddenly we saw a huge fire in the forward area in the accommodation space of the vessel and thought the end had come. Everyone rushed to a safer place. It was indeed a close shave," a crew me mber said on Saturday.
Of the 16 scientists on board were two women - Sherine Sonia Cubelio, chief scientist, and Honey Pillai. Sherine, who is now suffering from severe migraine after the fire, said, "We've been on this ship since February 26. It was a 20-day expedition. We had finished all our work and were heading back to Kochi port. There was panic everywhere after the fire broke out. Quick action from Coast Guard personnel gave us a second chance and we are thankful to them."
A short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire. An officer of the rescue team said, "They (the trapped persons) had nowhere to go. If the fire had spread and gone to the engine room, they'd have to abandon the ship. The fire had broken out in the forward area in the accommodation space."
"I was serving food at a get-together around 8.15pm. Suddenly we saw a huge fire in the forward area in the accommodation space of the vessel and thought the end had come. Everyone rushed to a safer place. It was indeed a close shave," a crew me mber said on Saturday.
Of the 16 scientists on board were two women - Sherine Sonia Cubelio, chief scientist, and Honey Pillai. Sherine, who is now suffering from severe migraine after the fire, said, "We've been on this ship since February 26. It was a 20-day expedition. We had finished all our work and were heading back to Kochi port. There was panic everywhere after the fire broke out. Quick action from Coast Guard personnel gave us a second chance and we are thankful to them."
A short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire. An officer of the rescue team said, "They (the trapped persons) had nowhere to go. If the fire had spread and gone to the engine room, they'd have to abandon the ship. The fire had broken out in the forward area in the accommodation space."
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