Contradictory Indian media reports on Mumbai accident, involvong collision of boxship MSC Chitra and bulk carrier Khalijia 3. First they reported collision took place in port, now looks like it happened some 5 miles off Mumbai. First they said both crews were evacuated, now it looks like only Indian crew of MSC Chitra. First Indian authorities said oil leak was small-scale and everything under control, now it seems leak is huge and little is under control. The Hindu said that MSC Chitra loaded with fuel 26,000 mt, statement leading us to wonder about Indian media basic knowledge level. See below two reports from two Indian media, initial report and a screenshot of distressed MSC Chitra.
Mikhail Voytenko
“The oil has spread up to Uran, Mandwa, Elephanta Island and Butcher Island. Oil is still being discharged. The ship was carrying about 26,000 tonnes of oil, including 283 tonnes of diesel and 88 tonnes of lube oil. About 200 containers have fallen into the sea and there are 32 containers with dangerous cargo. A total of 1,219 containers were aboard. Our main concern is that the vessel position should not deteriorate further,” Coast Guard Commandant S.S. Dasila told The Hindu over phone.
Oilspill from cargo ship for 2nd day, FIR against crew
Sun, Aug 8 10:42 PM
Mumbai, Aug 8 (PTI) A foreign cargo ship, which collided with another vessel about 10 km off Mumbai harbour, spilled oil for the second day today and perilously tilted dropping more fuel containers into sea, as hectic efforts were underway to quickly contain the leak. An FIR was also registered against the crew members of MSC Chitra--from which oil was spilling--and MV Khaleejia-III, a day after the two vessels had collided resulting in huge oil spill, police said.
Both are Panamanian cargo ships. The Coast Guard also carried out anti-pollution operations spraying dispersants on the thick oil slick while traffic at harbour remained suspended.
Fishing associations have been also requested not to carry out any fishing activities till the oil spill is contained, officials said. Officials are yet to locate the leakage as some portion of Chitra has submerged into the water.
The thick oil slick has been sighted two to three kms around the vessel Chitra. The Coast Guard, in its bid to contain the spill, pressed into service five ships and two helicopters with anti-pollution dispersal spray systems.
"Traffic has been suspended as the containers are still sighted floating into the channel thus making navigation hazard," a Coast Guard official said. The Directorate General of Shipping has initiated an investigation into the incident, Directorate General of Shipping''s Chief Nautical Advisor M M Savvi told PTI, adding "the Coast Guard and senior officials (Directorate General of Shipping) are now at the site".
According to officials, Chitra was carrying about 1,200 containers which had over 266 tonnes of fuel. "Nearly 250 containers have fallen into the sea after the ship tilted further to 75 degrees today," the official said.
Deputy police commissioner Khaled Qaiser told PTI that an FIR has been registered against captains and crew members of both the cargo ships under relevant sections of IPC and Environment Protection Act. Following a complaint by coast guard about the matter, the FIR was registered at Yellow Gate police station, he said.
The crew members were booked under section 280 (Rash navigation of vessel), 336 (endangering life of others) and 427 (mischief causing damage) of IPC and relevant sections of Environment Protection Act, he said. So far nobody has been arrested, the DCP said adding that all the crew members will be summoned to the police station for questioning in a day or two.
Additional Coast Guard Pollution Response Equipment has also been mobilised from Goa and assistance is also being taken from ONGC, JNPT and other agencies. The state administration, Pollution Control Board, Maharashtra Maritime Board and the Bombay History Natural Society have been kept on high alert for mobilisation of response resources for shore clean up.
Thirty-three crew members, including two Pakistanis, were rescued following the incident. MSC Chitra, the outbound merchant vessel from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), collided with MV Khalijia-III, at 0950 hours yesterday when the latter was sailing towards Mumbai Port Trust (MPT), off Mumbai harbour, for berthing.
The Indian captain and 32 crew members of Chitra were evacuated and the ship was grounded in the vicinity of the Prong Reef Lighthouse.
“The oil has spread up to Uran, Mandwa, Elephanta Island and Butcher Island. Oil is still being discharged. The ship was carrying about 26,000 tonnes of oil, including 283 tonnes of diesel and 88 tonnes of lube oil. About 200 containers have fallen into the sea and there are 32 containers with dangerous cargo. A total of 1,219 containers were aboard. Our main concern is that the vessel position should not deteriorate further,” Coast Guard Commandant S.S. Dasila told The Hindu over phone.
Boxship and bulk carrier collided in Mumbai
Saturday, August 07, 2010
IANS, Aug 7, 2010, 04.20pm IST
MUMBAI: The Indian Coast Guard rescued all 33 sailors from two Panamanian cargo ships which collided off the Mumbai Harbour here on Saturday morning, an official said.
The two vessels - MV Khalija-III and MSC Chitra - loaded with containers containing dry cargo, collided when the former was attempting to berth at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), off Mumbai, around 9.45 am, an official of the Indian Coast Guard said.
Both the vessels, measuring at least 200 metres in length, tilted sharply due to the impact of the collision, even as the port and Coast Guard officials mounted a rescue operation.
The MSC Chitra, which was in the process of getting out of the JNPT area, got grounded in the vicinity of the Prong Reef Lighthouse due to the impact. On receiving an SOS message, the Indian Coast Guard immediately diverted its vessel ICG Kamala Devi for relief and rescue operations. All the 33 sailors from the two ships were rescued and shifted to shore aboard ICG tug Vamsee-III, with no reports of injuries to any of them. Some oil spillage was noticed from the two ships but the officials described it as "minor and completely under control". The Coast Guard has deployed a helicopter and a vessel to monitor and control the oil spillage and launch necessary efforts to avoid sea pollution in the area.
The preliminary cause of the collision is suspected navigational error on the part of one or both the ships' captains, but the details will be investigated by statutory agencies like the Directorate-General of Shipping besides the Mumbai Port authorities. Meanwhile, by late afternoon, the tilted ships stabilised and were not in danger of sinking or creating shipping traffic hazard in the busy port area off Mumbai, the official said.
Boxship MSC Chitra - IMO 7814838, dwt 38352, built 1980, flag Panama, manager MSC.
Bulk carrier Khalijia 3 - IMO 8128690, dwt 45798, built 1985, flag S-Kitts, manager Gulf Maritime Shipbrokers & Consultants Co. WLL Kuwait.
