Ship bursts into flames off Phuket

[Big Boy]

First reports say everybody got off

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_new ... 27777.html

[PeteC]

That's some fire. Will be interesting to see what cargo it was carrying to go up like that.

[Lung Per]

Judging from the color and amount of smoke I'd say at this stage, a fuel tank burn-out.

[kendo]

I think that's just a passenger boat but ask any firemen the worst please you could have a fire is on a ship.
Lung this boat is in most active state of fire so not a fuel tank as it will run on heavy oil ( diesel) or bunker fuel which is like tar the heaviest low grade fuel that gets refined in a Cat Cracker or as the Americans would call a Coker ships have to heat this fuel up with steam before the sail to make it more into a liquid form.
I would also suggest that the origin and age of this vessel would have very few flame retardant materials in its construction.

I hope all persons onboard are accounted for and are safe and well as maritime law here is just a joke.
Kendo.

[Lung Per]

I think that's just a passenger boat but ask any firemen the worst please you could have a fire is on a ship.
Lung this boat is in most active state of fire so not a fuel tank as it will run on heavy oil ( diesel) or bunker fuel which is like tar the heaviest low grade fuel that gets refined in a Cat Cracker or as the Americans would call a Coker ships have to heat this fuel up with steam before the sail to make it more into a liquid form.
I would also suggest that the origin and age of this vessel would have very few flame retardant materials in its construction.

I hope all persons onboard are accounted for and are safe and well as maritime law here is just a joke.
Kendo.

The fire starts somewhere in the hull and as the fire expands and heats up the vessel, the diesel tanks (I presume diesel in this type of vessel) will heat up and eventually ignite. This is what it looks like to me - I once was the unfortunate witness to an all-out fire in stormy North Atlantic.

I agree with you totally on your comment about the maritime law in this area. None such as regular inspections, reliable sea worthiness and engine certificates, etc. etc. Not to mention Lloyds of London and Norske Veritas classification bureaus are objects in the moon to Asian shipowners.

[centermid7]

So pretty much what we have established so far is that Lung has no idea what he is talking about!

A single pic of a FULLY engulfed wooden topside boat. Brilliant!

555 Cheers!

[Lung Per]

[quote="centermid7"]So pretty much what we have established so far is that Lung has no idea what he is talking about!

A single pic of a FULLY engulfed wooden topside boat.

You don't really deserve a response. Get sober.

[kendo]

It would be impossible to determine the cause of this fire judging by this picture I think the only reliable communication would be a distress call picked up by international shipping maybe at first a Pan Pan that's a distress call for issues like engine failure as an example but non life threatening or a non danger to other shipping.

Now if you call a Mayday Mayday it's a full on distress call and other vessels and seamen will head towards to assist under maritime law there's also very serious penalty's miss declarring your status.

In this picture it's an old wooden vessel lots of paint and varnish and its structure is of hard wood and plastic life rafts say no more.

Kendo.

[Dannie Boy]

An update on the incident.

PHUKET: -- A medium-sized inshore cargo boat, the MV Tanakon, is blazing fiercely to the east of Ao Po, between Koh Naka Yai and Koh Yao Yai.

Marine Police said they received a report at 4pm from a speedboat that a "cargo boat" was on fire near the island, and they had sent fast patrol boat No 814 to see what could be done to help those on board.

Witnesses reported they could see a pall of black smoke climbing straight into the sky.

One reported that she had seen people in the water clinging to chunks of plastic foam. So far there is no confirmation of this, and it is not known how many people were on board at the time.

The Tanakon is described as a privately owned 23.5-metre inshore cargo boat with twin diesel engines, used to carry goods between Ranong and Satun.

Registered in Phuket, it is owned by a Mr Dalan Paekamon and has a crew of five. The captain is Sompong Maigaeo.

The boat was carrying cars and motorcycles from the pier on Koh Yao to Bang Rong Pier when it caught fire. Because of its wooden construction, the two-deck vessel was swiftly engulfed by flames.

The crew jumped overboard and were all picked up safely by a passing boat.

[kendo]

Interesting any manifest for insurance including DG cargo status and position on the vessel to make insurance valid.... Pile waits and torsion I could go on but in Thailand you would just be greeted by a smile and yes.

Kendo.

[Lung Per]

Thanks. Always good to have the facts.