2 Chinese sailors dead after gas leak on cargo vessel off Navlakhi port

The ship had loaded the coal from Indonesia and was bound for Navlakhi port on Morbi coast. "One of the crew members opened the door of a coal container and he was affected by the gas generated from the coal as it had remained packed for long. Two fellow crew members rushed in to help him but they too were affected by the gas. They were rushed to Jamnagar by a tug where the doctors declared two of them as brought dead while the third one is undergoing treatment," Jamnagar Superintendent of police (SP) Pradip Shejul told The Indian Express.

The SP said that the cargo vessel had an all-Chinese crew. "We have contacted the agent who had imported the coal consignment and once he reaches Jamnagar, we shall get further details of the crew and the incident," added Shejul.

He said that the vessel was anchored around 25 nautical miles off Navlakhi port and was in the process of offloading its cargo. "As the crew was affected by gas leakage they were brought to Jamnagar which is the nearest tertiary care centre," said Shejul.

The three were taken to state government-run GG General Hospital in Jamnagar. "We don't know much details of the incident but two bodies were brought to our hospital along with a third one who is in stable condition. The patient has some respiratory issues and since he doesn't have any relatives around, he is in our care," said Dr Nandini Mehta, medical superintendent of GG hospital. The SP further added that the vessel had dropped anchor off Navlakhi port less than 24 hours ago and was waiting to be tugged into the port for offloading the coal consignment.

Major consignments of imported coal land in Navlakhi port, the coal is

largely consumed by the ceramic tiles industry of Morbi district.