Search Called Off for Four Missing Crewmembers From Lost Bulker
Japanese shipowner K Line has confirmed that the search for the missing crew of the bulker Devon Bay has been called off, ending an 10-day hunt for survivors.
Devon Bay was under way on a voyage from the Philippine port of Zamboanga to China on January 23. At a position about 140 nm to the west of Pangasinan, the vessel rapidly capsized and sank. A China Coast Guard patrol vessel was only 36 nautical miles away from Devon Bay, and it rescued 15 survivors and recovered two deceased crewmembers. The seafarers and the remains were transferred to Philippine custody and returned to shore at Manila.
The search continued for more than a week, aided by the Philippine Coast Guard and the China Coast Guard, which maintains a persistent two- or three-cutter patrol presence in this sector of the Philippine exclusive economic zone. No further survivors are found, and four crewmembers remain lost at sea.
In a statement, K Line extended its gratitude to the coast guards of the Philippines and China. "We extend our deepest condolences to the families of our deceased crew members, and our thoughts remain with the families of the crew members who remain unaccounted for," K Line said.
The cause of the casualty is under investigation, but the PCG and the crew have pointed to signs of cargo liquefaction. Devon Bay was carrying a load of nickel ore, a potentially dangerous cargo known for liquefying and causing rapid capsizing. With each roll of the ship, an excessively wet nickel ore cargo can shift further to one side and then stick in place. This cargo shift causes a progressively worsening list, often ending in a tragic capsizing with little to no warning.
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Wet nickel cargoes have long been a hazard at lightly-regulated, open-air mine sites in Southeast Asia, where stockpiles are sometimes left out in heavy rain before loading. These loads have claimed dozens of lives over the years, likely more than any other dry or wet bulk cargo. Insurers and industry associations have warned about this risk for decades, and have tried various regulatory and educational measures to mitigate it.
Top image: Devon Bay (Dave Ramos / VesselFinder)