One Dead, Two Injured Due to Toxic Fumes aboard Tanker

One crew member died and two were hospitalized after they inhaled poisonous fumes while cleaning cargo tanks aboard a 2007-built chemical tanker Araz River on February 5, Italian media reported.

As disclosed, the solvent that the three crew members used to clean the tanks aboard the Russian-flagged tanker reacted with the remains of the cargo and formed toxic fumes.

The deceased 24-year crew member died immediately due to a cardiac arrest, while the other two, aged 42 and 28, were transferred to a hospital in a serious health condition.

Owned by a Turkish shipping company Palmali Group, the 7,074 dwt vessel had to return to the Italian Vasto port where it offloaded a large quantity of canola oil earlier, and it remains in port for an investigation into the incident.

There were 13 crew members, all of Russian nationality, aboard the vessel at the time of the incident.

World Maritime News Staff