Another crewmember died following an explosion aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Tamar on April 24, bringing the death toll to two sailors, according to the United Stated Coast Guard.
Two more sailors suffered massive burns and are in need of immediate medical attention, the captain of the 623-foot ship told watchstanders at the Coast Guard command center.
The incident occurred in the ship’s forward storeroom at around 7 am while the vessel was some 1,300 miles off the coast of Cape Cod.
The fire resulting from the explosion was extinguished and the cause of the incident is unknown.
USCG informed that the 56,600 dwt ship’s engineering plant was unaffected and the crew continued their transit to the Azores, Portugal. Their last port of call was Baltimore.
The New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing pararescuers arrived on board the Tamar, operated by Slovenia-based Splošna Plovba, at about 9:30 pm, after deploying from their HC-130 with two small boats and advanced life-saving equipment. They are staying with the ship until higher medical authority can take over care of the injured crew.
The Canadian Coast Guard has diverted two warships with physician assistants.
The Portuguese Coast Guard are scheduled to launch a helicopter and pick up the injured crew members and bring them to Ponta Delgada. They are expected to be within range of the Azores, Portugal within 24 hours.