No oil leak from fire-damaged tanker
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No oil leak from fire-damaged tanker

The damaged bow of the oil products tanker Ampar 8 after the explosion and fire on Sunday that killed the deputy captain and injured another crewman. The vessel remains  anchored in the Chao Phraya river in Samut Prakan as the Marine Department investigation gets underway. (Photo: Marine Department)
The damaged bow of the oil products tanker Ampar 8 after the explosion and fire on Sunday that killed the deputy captain and injured another crewman. The vessel remains anchored in the Chao Phraya river in Samut Prakan as the Marine Department investigation gets underway. (Photo: Marine Department)

The explosion and fire onboard a tanker on the Chao Phraya river on Sunday did not cause any oil to spill into the river, the Marine Department said on Monday as the investigation into the cause gathered speed.

The department statement said no leakage was detected from the cargo of crude oil.

The Thai-flagged oil product tanker Ampar 8 was carrying 3.2 million litres of crude oil from Koh Sichang in Chon Buri to a Bangchak refinery pier in Bangkok on Sunday.

An explosion and subsequent fire near the bow of the ship sent thick smoke billowing into the air as it travelled upstream in Samut Prakan from the Gulf of Thailand. One crew member was killed and another injured.

The ship was leased from Ayudhya Development Leasing by Grace Ocean Marine Co to transport the oil.

Department deputy director-general Sompong Jirasirilert said all crew members were questioned on Monday, and  Grace Ocean Marine was ordered to present a plan to offload the oil cargo from the damaged ship.

The fire started at 1.50pm on Sunday.

Mr Sompong said the dead crewman was Prasit Supatthawan, 43, deputy captain of the vessel. The injured man was Natchaphitsanupong Maneam, 26.

The captain and 11 other crewmen on board were uninjured, he said.

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