Three people were injured after a fire broke out on board the Liberian-flagged liquefied natural gas tanker “Gas Lisbon“ in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania last night, Agerpres reported, BTA reported.
As reported by the Romanian Maritime Administration, the incident occurred 14 nautical miles from the city of Sfantu Gheorghe in Tulcea County outside Romanian territorial waters.
The ship sent a distress signal around midnight and two ships of the Romanian Agency for the Rescue of Human Life at Sea (ARSVOM) were dispatched to the scene, evacuating all 17 crew members. Two of them suffered burns to about 10-15 percent of their bodies, and the third had multiple injuries and bleeding.
The fire on board the ship, which is at anchor, continues in its superstructure. Romanian authorities have sent a warning to all ships in the area to avoid the area around the distressed vessel.
In a Facebook post, Romanian President Nikusor Dan said that “state institutions are on standby and will establish the circumstances, causes and responsibility related to this serious incident, which is most likely part of the illegal aggressive war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine“.
Dan also reported that “Gas Lisbon“ was traveling from the Egyptian port of Alexandria to the Ukrainian port of Reni.