Remaining Part of MOL Comfort Sinks with Bunkers

Some 1,600 metric tonnes of fuel oil and 2,400 containers onboard the 'MOL Comfort' sank to the ocean floor when the remaining forward part of the container ship sank.

"There is an oil film at the site, but no large volume of oil leakage has, at this moment, been observed," MOL said in a statement.

According to the latest update from the ship's owners, a salvage team has been kept in the area (19'56''N 65'25''E) to monitor the oil leakage and floating containers.

"Most of the floating containers sank and could no longer be spotted. We reported the fact to Indian authorities, completed the monitoring, and the salvage team left the scene. We have been proceeding with a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the incident," the update added.

Earlier, officials had fought a fire on the fore section since July 6, before the wreck sank to a depth of about 3,000 metres, dashing hopes of towing it to a GCC port to investigate the cause of the accident.

MOL Comfort split in two some 430 nautical miles southeast of Salalah on June 17, in what was believed to be a major structural failure. The aft section of the ship sank on June 27 to an approximate depth of 4,000 metres, along with some 1,700 containers.