(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – High winds in the seas have re-ignited fresh fires in the doused oil tanker New Diamond today and the fire fighters are again battling the fires, the Sri Lanka Navy said.
The disaster management teams were able to douse the fire onboard MT New Diamond by 3.00 p.m. yesterday and they have been working in full swing to continue disaster management operations to prevent a recurrence of fire, using fire smothering agents like water and chemicals.
However, due to high winds triggered by prevailing adverse weather condition in the sea area where the distressed vessel has been positioned about 30 nautical miles off Sangamankanda Point, the fire which has already been doused, has re-ignited from the effects of extreme temperature and sparks onboard.
Meanwhile, ships, aircraft and tugs belongs to Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Indian Navy and Coast Guard other stakeholders are working in collaboration to contain the flames, the Navy said.
The MT New Diamond crude oil tanker was transporting 270,000 metric tons of crude oil from the port of Meena Al Ahmadi in Kuwait to the Port of Paradip in India when a fire broke out aboard in the eastern seas of Sri Lanka at around 8 am on Thursday (03rd September). The fire was completely doused by 3 pm Sunday.
However, the Sri Lanka Navy said it remains on high alert as there is a possibility of a recurrence of the fire in the MT New Diamond oil tanker.
