Netherlands: A large fire broke out on board a cargo ship carrying roughly 3,000 cars, killing one Indian crew member and injuring 20 others, off the coast of the Netherlands.
On the 199-meter Fremantle Highway, registered in Panama and en-route from Germany to Egypt, a fire broke out. The crew was forced to leap overboard by several circumstances. The Indian embassy in the Netherlands announced on social media that an Indian national had died as a result of the fire.
"We are deeply saddened by the incident involving Ship ‘Fremantle Highway’ in the North Sea, resulting in the death of an Indian seafarer & injuries to 20 of the crew," it said in a tweet. The embassy said it was in touch with the family of the deceased and is assisting in the repatriation of the mortal remains.
"The Embassy is also in touch with the remaining 20 injured crew members, who are safe and receiving medical attention. All possible assistance is being extended in coordination with the Dutch authorities and the shipping company," it said.
Rescue boats and helicopters were used to get the 23 crew members off the ship after some had jumped in the water, a spokesperson for the Dutch coastguard said. Pictures show grey smoke coming from the ship, raising concerns that it may be sinking 27 km north of the Dutch island of Ameland in the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is regarded as one of the most crucial areas in the world for migratory bird conservation, according to the report.
Dutch firefighters were still struggling to put out the fire on the cargo ship some 16 hours after the blaze started, a Dutch coastguard said.