An oil tanker caught fire near the coast of Sri Lanka on Thursday, September 3, as it was travelling from Kuwait to the Indian port of Paradip.
Specifically, the vessel, named New Diamond, is reported to have been carrying 270,000 metric tons of crude oil, equivalent to approximately 2 million barrels.
It was abandoned with one crew member unaccounted for and another injured while international efforts are taking place, in attempts to control the fire.
The ship is registered in Panama and is said to have had 23 crewmembers onboard.
The first reports inform that the fire had been contained to the engine room. Now, the Sri Lanka Navy informed that the spread of fire on this ship has been controlled without allowing it to reach the oil storing areas, there is no risk of oil leakage from the vessel to the sea so far. Meanwhile, a Sri Lanka Coast Guard Ship and a Fast Attack Craft bringing fire extinguishing chemicals needed to quash the blazes are rushing to the scene of action as of now.
