Maritime Authority investigating Maltese tanker explosion

The Merchant Shipping Directorate of the Malta Maritime Authority is investigating the maritime casualty involving the Maltese registered tanker Efxinos that occurred on Wednesday off Kalba in the United Arab Emirates.

The Maltese ship was carrying out a ship-to-ship operation with the Panamanian registered crude oil carrier Sebu.

From the information gathered so far it appears that the Efxinos had finished the discharge of cargo to the tanker Sebu when an explosion occurred in the forward part of the Maltese ship, the MMA said.

Following the explosion a fire broke out in the same area. Four crew members of the Efxinos lost their lives in the incident and it also appears that other members of the crew suffered injuries.

The 57,372 dwt mt Efxinos was built in 1978 in Birkenhead, UK. It had 31 crew members on board at the time of the incident.

MMA inspectors based in Dubai are collecting the information related to the incident and are conducting interviews with the crew.