On Wednesday (July 26), a significant fire erupted on a cargo vessel carrying approximately 3,000 vehicles off the Dutch coast, resulting in the tragic death of one crew member, believed to be an Indian citizen, and injuries to others.
According to Dutch broadcaster NOS, all 23 crew members on board were Indian, and apart from the one casualty, they were safely evacuated.
The cargo vessel named Fremantle Highway, measuring 199 meters and registered in Panama, caught fire on Tuesday (July 25) while sailing in the North Sea, about 27 kilometers north of Ameland, The Netherlands. The ship was en route from Germany to Egypt.
The Dutch Coast Guard received a distress call around midnight after a crew member’s attempt to extinguish the fire proved unsuccessful.
Rescue ships sprayed water onto the burning vessel to cool it down, but using excessive water posed a risk of the ship sinking, as reported by Reuters news agency. To prevent it from drifting further, a salvage vessel was attached to the Fremantle Highway.
Officials stated that the fire “could still burn for days,” though its sinking may not present a major environmental risk.
Edwin Versteeg, a spokesperson for the Dutch Department of Waterways and Public Works, mentioned that the fire was challenging to control, possibly due to the cargo being transported on the ship.
The exact cause of the fire remains to be determined, but Dutch public broadcaster NOS cited a coast guard official who reported that the fire originated from one of the 25 electric cars onboard, eventually spreading to engulf all the vehicles.
Out of the total 2,857 vehicles on board, approximately 350 were Mercedes-Benz cars, according to the company’s statement.
As of the report, the vessel was still burning about 27 nautical miles (50 kilometers) north of the Dutch island of Ameland, located near a significant environmental and UNESCO heritage site.
The Dutch coast guard stated, “The crew tried to put out the fire themselves but failed. Unfortunately, one person died and several others were injured.”
In response to the incident, the Embassy of India in the Netherlands stated that it is in contact with the crew members’ families and is coordinating with Dutch authorities to provide all possible assistance.
“We are deeply saddened by the incident involving Ship ‘Fremantle Highway’ in the North Sea, resulting in the death of an Indian seafarer and injuries to the crew,” the embassy posted on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter.
The embassy is also in touch with the remaining 20 injured crew members, who are safe and receiving medical attention. They are extending all possible assistance in collaboration with Dutch authorities and the shipping company.
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