CREW onboard Togo-flagged general cargo ship Seama were abandoned ship following an explosion near the Black Sea Port of Sulina in Romania, close to the border of Ukraine, reports Singapore's Splash 247
CREW onboard Togo-flagged general cargo ship Seama were abandoned ship following an explosion near the Black Sea Port of Sulina in Romania, close to the border of Ukraine, reports Singapore's Splash 247. Maritime security consultancy Ambrey said the 1981-build vessel had possibly struck a sea mine while drifting 10 nautical miles east of Sulina. The vessel reported an explosion at the stern of the ship at around 6.50am, prompting the master of the vessel to tell the 12-man crew to abandon ship.
The of the 4,300-dwt ship were moved onto a search and rescue ship Ares from the Romanian Agency for Saving Life at Sea (ARSVOM) and later handed over to the ambulance crew from Sulina port.
The vessel, operated by Lebanon-based GMZ Ship Management, was carrying a cargo of cement destined for Izmail in Ukraine and was waiting to enter the Bystroe Canal in Romania.
Romanian naval forces deployed the sea mine hunter vessel with divers to the site of the incident to search for sea mines.
'Ambrey observed that Seama was drifting at the northeast edge of the Sulina anchorage area, making her one of the most exposed vessels to floating sea mines, the company said.
'This incident underscored the importance of conducting transit and drifting threat assessments to mitigate the risks associated with sailing in the Black Sea.'
Romanian officials have not yet confirmed the cause of the explosion. Local media, citing Cosmin Lauren?iu Dumitrache, head of the Romanian Naval Authority, reports that the ship appears to be stable, with no immediate risk of sinking. An investigation is being carried out to establish the cause and the exact place of the explosion that affected the ship.
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