Investigators Cite
Investigators said a bizarre combination of factors, including possible human error, had sunk an Italian chemicals tanker off France on October 31. The 7,300-ton Ievoli Sun, carrying 6,000 tons of toxic chemicals, went down in rough seas in the Channel 30 km (17 miles) from France's northerly Cotentin peninsula and close to the small British island of Alderney. It was the second large tanker to sink off France in a year and sparked accusations that owners were compromising safety. However, a preliminary report by the maritime arm of the French Accident Investigation Bureau (BEA) gave the Italian owners Marnavi an initial clean bill of health.
Sailors Safe After Ship Collision
Sailors were rescued off the English Channel in the United Kingdom after a chemical tanker collided with another vessel at dawn, the Manila Standard Today reported. 22 crewmembers were rescued by a British coastguard boat and a Royal Air Force (RAF) helicopter and then taken to St. Margaret’s Lodge, a hospital on the British island of Guernsey, according to reports by a RAF officer and Ambassador to London Edgardo Espiritu. The tanker Ece, which was carrying 10,000 tons of phosphoric acid, collided with a Maltese-registered cargo ship loaded with 26,000 tons of phosphorus. Divers were scheduled to inspect the hull of the chemical tanker, which was badly damaged, to assess pollution risks.
