Maritime Incidents - July 2, 2009

Oil Rig Workers Killed:

The DEMAS VICTORY, a supply boat operated by Midgulf Offshore Chartering LLC on behalf of Demas Marine, capsized after being hit by a huge wave in strong winds. The crew of nine and 24 workers, including two caterers, employed by HBK Power Cleaning were about 10 nautical miles from the Doha Channel when the ship sank in approximately three minutes.

Five people were rescued, including the captain, primarily because they were in the wheelhouse or on deck at the time of the incident. While, seven bodies have been recovered, the rest are feared to have perished. The workers were Indians, Nepalese and Bangladeshis. A spokesman for HBK said the "work vessel" was used by his company to provide "support services" to the petroleum industry.

Ship collision in E. China Sea:

Two ships collided in the middle of the night killing four seamen.

Four people are missing after a Singapore-registered cargo ship and a Chinese vessel loaded with sand collided in the East China Sea.

An official with Maritime Safety Administration said the 159-ton Chinese ship and the 36,592-ton Singapore vessel, BEILUN SELI, with a crew of 23 people, collided at 4 AM off Zhoushan City in Zhejiang.

The Chinese ship was damaged and all five people aboard were thrown into the sea. One of the crew was rescued by a passing ship. Meanwhile, the safety administration said none of the dead have been identified and a helicopter and a few vessels has been combing the seas for the missing.