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MOL Comfort sinks with 1,600 tonnes of fuel

MOL Comfort sinks with 1,600 tonnes of fuel
About 1,600 metric tonnes of fuel oil and 2,400 containers onboard the fore part of MOL Comfort were dragged down to the ocean floor when the structure sank on Thursday, according to Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL).

“About 1,600 metric tonnes of fuel oil and other oil were estimated to be in the tanks of the fore part. There is an oil film at the site, but no large volume of oil leakage has been observed at this moment,” MOL said in a statement.

It added that some containers were floating near the site in the high seas of 19'56''N 65'25''E.

Salvors had been fighting a fire on the fore section since 6 July before the wreck finally sank to a water depth of about 3,000 metres, dashing hopes of towing it back to investigate the cause of the accident.

A MOL spokesperson told Seatrade Global that the cause of the ship's failure has not yet been identified but “we are doing our best to determine the cause.”

MOL Comfort split into two on the Indian Ocean on 17 June in what was believed to be a major structural failure.

The aft section of the ship sank on 27 June to an approximate water depth of 4,000 metres along with some 1,700 containers onboard.

The salvage team continues to remain on the site to monitor oil leakage and the status of the floating containers.

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