All 17 crew members were evacuated from the Liberian-flagged LPG carrier Gas Lisbon after fire engulfed its superstructure in the Black Sea off Romania, leaving three seafarers injured, according to the Romanian Maritime Authority.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Constanța received the distress alert at 00:05 on 21 July, when the tanker was about 14 nautical miles from Sfântu Gheorghe. Gas Lisbon was carrying more than 3,790 tonnes of propane from Alexandria, Egypt, to the Danube port of Reni.
The casualty was later positioned about 20 nautical miles southeast of Sfântu Gheorghe, inside Romania’s exclusive economic zone and outside its territorial waters. The crew gathered in the bow after being unable to use the vessel’s evacuation equipment. Rescue ships SAR Apollo and SAR Artemis were deployed with a Coast Guard craft, while adverse weather prevented a helicopter response.
SAR Apollo recovered all 17 seafarers from liferafts. Two had burns covering about 10% to 15% of their bodies, while a third suffered multiple wounds and bleeding. They were transferred through Sulina and taken by ambulance to hospital in Tulcea.
Gas Lisbon remained anchored with the fire continuing in the superstructure. Ships were ordered to remain at least three nautical miles from the tanker, while an IAR-330 Puma Naval helicopter and two naval vessels were placed on standby. A navigation warning was issued and a tug was dispatched to prevent the damaged carrier from drifting into shipping routes.
The cause of the incident and responsibility for it had not been established.
Gas Lisbon, IMO 9267974, is a 2002-built LPG carrier of about 120 metres in length and 19 metres in breadth. The 6,502-gt vessel has a deadweight capacity of about 8,065 tonnes and previously traded as Gaz Fidelity. Istanbul-based Gas Lisbon Inc is its registered owning company.