A major fire broke out aboard the Panama-registered vehicle carrier Fremantle Highway off the Dutch coast, killing one crew member and injuring several others, according to Dutch authorities.
Follow Times of Karachi on Google News and add as a preferred Source on Google
The fire started late Tuesday on the 199-metre-long cargo ship, which was travelling from Germany to Egypt. Several crew members were forced to jump into the sea as flames spread across the vessel.
Rescue ships rushed to the scene and began spraying water over the burning vessel to cool it down. However, the Dutch coastguard warned that using excessive amounts of water could destabilise the ship and increase the risk of it sinking.
A salvage vessel was deployed to help stabilise the Fremantle Highway and prevent it from drifting further.
Edwin Versteeg, a spokesperson for the Dutch Department of Waterways and Public Works, said the fire had not been brought under control and could be difficult to extinguish because of the cargo being transported.
The exact cause of the fire remained unknown, although the Dutch coastguard said it appeared to have started near an electric vehicle aboard the ship.
As the fire spread, seven crew members jumped overboard to escape the flames. Rescue teams, including the Royal Dutch Rescue Company (KNRM), responded to the emergency and airlifted other crew members from the vessel.
Some crew members suffered injuries after jumping into the water, while one person died in the incident.
Those injured were treated for breathing difficulties, burns and broken bones, according to local authorities.
The Fremantle Highway had departed from Bremerhaven, Germany, and was approximately 27 kilometres (17 miles) north of the Dutch island of Ameland when the fire broke out.
Authorities subsequently moved the vessel away from busy shipping lanes to reduce the risk to other ships operating in the area.
Shoei Kisen, the Japanese company that manages the vessel, was working with Dutch authorities to contain the fire and prevent the situation from worsening.
The incident renewed concerns about fires aboard cargo vessels, particularly vehicle carriers, and the challenges faced by maritime authorities when dealing with fires involving modern vehicle cargo.
