EMEA News
UPDATE: "Indeterminate Quantity" of Oil Spilled as MOL Comfort Sinks off Yemen
UPDATE: New reports indicate that as of June 19, 2013 MOL Comfort is still afloat after breaking in two.
ORIGINAL REPORT
An "indeterminate quantity" of oil is reported to have been spilled today around 200 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen after Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL)-operated containership MOL Comfort sank while under way from Singapore to Jeddah, Indian daily Business Standard reports.
MOL said in a statement that at about 7:00 am local time during inclement weather, the vessel suffered a crack amidships and ingressing water in the hold making it impossible for the vessel to continue on under its own power.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was reported to have diverted MV Hanjin Beijing, MV Zim India, and MV Yantian Express to assist with the rescue effort, with all 26 crew members said to have been safely rescued by Yantian Express and were being taken to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Reports said the 7,041 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) capacity ship was carrying a cargo of 4,500 containers at the time of the incident.
