Seven people injured in blast on ship in Mumbai

Mumbai: Seven people, including two Koreans and one Filipino, were injured yesterday morning, in an explosion on board a chemical tanker Royal Diamond 7, off Mumbai harbour.

Two crew members, who are being treated at the St George Hospital in south Mumbai, are reported to be in a serious condition.

The explosion took place on board the Korean-owned tanker, carrying the Marshal Island Flag, at 11.25am off Mumbai harbour, where it had been anchored since March 19, following a fire.

"At 11.25am today, the tanker reported to the Mumbai Port's control station that an explosion had occurred and that three crew members have been injured. Immediately, a tug [boat] was dispatched to bring the injured to shore.

"Besides three crew-members [two Koreans and one Filipino], four local workers engaged by the tanker, were injured in the incident," Mumbai Port Trust's (MbPT's) chief spokesperson V.R. Joglekar said.

The injured were rushed to hospital by the MbPT's fire bridgade personnel. "The burn injuries sustained by two of the crew members are of serious nature," Joglekar added.

"Immediately on receiving information about the mishap, the MbPT chairman Rajeev Gupta deputed the deputy conservator and the harbour master of the port to the anchorage to personally supervise the evacuation of the injured and ensure safety in the harbour," Joglekar said.

The fire triggered by the explosion was immediately brought under control and everything was brought back to normal on board the tanker by 1pm yesterday.

The explosion was the second incident to take place on board Royal Diamond 7 within a week. The blast took place in the same storeroom where a fire and explosion had occurred earlier last Saturday.

The MbPT chairman has ordered an inquiry into the mishap and called for an interim report at the earliest.

Though MbPT officials do not see any foul play behind the incidents, informed sources said that it was either sheer "incompetence" or "negligence" that might have led to the incidents.

"Only after we get an inquiry report on the circumstances leading to the mishap can we say for sure as to what went wrong," a senior MbPT official said.