formosa product brick - and the straits of malacca were burning...

 fire is bad for ship and people...bad fire..!!

and all hell break loose...it began right after an arguement from both ship regarding right of way...the bulk carrier MV Ostende Max and a product tanker MT Formosa Product Brick collided off Port Dickson...fires and explosions from the product tanker can be seen from more than 20 nautical miles...

that is formosa..and she was engulfed in a raging inferno...

even ships laying up in the Kuala Sungai Baru off port limit anchorage close to my academy could see the burning inferno...my mates said that he saw a flash of fire at 2130H...off Tanjung Tuan Lighthouse..

radio chatter were high....VTS were calling a rescue operations...and diverting all traffics to keep out from the burning tanker....



this video were taken by a vessel passing the burning tanker in the traffic seperation scheme at the Straits of Malacca...

that is formosa on the next day...the whole accomodation and the engine room were caught by fire

the next day...9 crew were still missing...fire still burning on the tanker and shipping were advice to avoid the stricken vessel... vessels from various maritime agency and salvage team were at scene to control the situation...

ostende max..she had a bent bulbous bow and her paint were damaged because of the fire...

search and rescue were conducted to find the missing crew...while the bulk carrier were towed back to Port Dickson for investigation...Ostende Max had minor damage and her crew survived the incident...still there is no news about the crew from Formosa and it is feared that some of them might have been trapped inside the ship....

...all the missing crew were found by firefighters inside the tanker few days later in various locations onboard....nothing left but remnants of bones...and identification were made complicated since they were burnt beyond recognition...fire were taken out but precautions were still taken to ensure no re ignition occurs...remaining cargo onboard were salvaged and transferred to her sister ship...

what happened to both ship is unknown...nothing had been heard regarding the accident but surely investigation and inquiry is still in session and the final verdict and case report on the accident will be issued...

prayers to all nine mariners who perished in the inferno..may their souls rest in the sea of tranquility......and may this be a lesson for all that the sea is dangerous...and we make mistakes...

-come to sea and see for yourself-