Ammonia Leak on Tanker Kills One and Injures Three off Malaysia

Malaysian authorities responded to a call for medical assistance to an LPG tanker anchored offshore on April 6. One crew member, a Turkish national was pronounced dead and several other crew members were taken to shore for medical treatment in a local hospital after what was believed to be an ammonia leak aboard the vessel.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) reported that it received an emergency call at 11:55 p.m. on April 6 from the shipping agent. They were told that there had been an accident aboard the tanker which was anchored in international waters off Port Klang. The Maritime Enforcement Agency of Malaysia, Selangor State Maritime, and the Dangerous Material Unit Team (HAZMAT) of Selangor Firefighters responded to the vessel arriving at approximately 3:00 a.m.

The 28-year-old LPG tanker Hamburg DW was anchored offshore during a voyage from Oman heading to China. The vessel is registered in Panama and believed to be owned by Turkish interests.

The medical teams administered oxygen to the sailors that were believed to have breathed the gas. One crew member, a 62-year-old Turkish man, was pronounced dead and three other crew members were reported to be in critical condition and transferred to a hospital onshore. Other crew members aboard the tanker may have also received oxygen and been examined by the medical teams responding to the tanker. The body of the deceased sailor was also transferred to shore for a postmortem examination.

The details and cause of the accident were not reported. MMEA said that the Health Ministry and police had also been notified and were investigating the incident.

The Hamburg DW currently remains at anchor off Malaysia.