A Maltese flagged oil tanker caught fire and ran aground near a fishing village, forcing several crew members to jump overboard, Cypriot authorities said Saturday 29th December 2018
Cyprus’ Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) said the fire aboard the tanker ATHLOS was extinguished soon after it broke out. Five crew members were rescued from the sea after jumping overboard and taken to the hospital. Three of them were later released from the Limassol Hospital along the coast while the other two remained for treatment of serious burns at the capital Nicosia.
The JRCC said the tanker in ballast issued a distress call on Saturday following an explosion and fire onboard shortly after setting sail from Larnaca port some 3.5 miles off the village of Zygi. She ran aground 200 meters from shore near Zygi.
The tanker, with 17 crew members including 7 Greeks, 9 Indians and a Georgian, was due to depart to the Greek port of Aspropyrgos on December 29th
Cyprus’ authorities have mobilized to contain any potential pollution from the tanker. In fact the 20m anti pollution craft AELLA and 2 Damen built tugs EDT NIOVI and VTS KERYNEIA together with military craft are nearby.
ATHLOS was built in Turkey by Soli Shipyard at Gemlik.
Below images are of one of the stand by tugs EDT NIOVI seen here entering Valletta, Malta back to 2nd May 2018 –
Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
