Mumbai:
At least six Indian sailors were asphyxiated by leaking gas aboard the LPG vessel Maharshi Krishnatreya in the Arabian Sea, officials said in Mumbai on Monday.
The ship was en route to the UAE when the incident occurred in the compressor room of the vessel, according to the Directorate-General of Shipping (DGS).
The ship's chief officer, a gas engineer and four other seamen were attempting to repair a damaged gas pipe in the compressor when they were overcome by the gas.
On learning of the accident around 11 am on Monday, the vessel's owners, Messrs. Varun Shipping in Mumbai alerted the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard for relief and rescue operations.
The distressed ship has been diverted to Porbandar port in Gujarat and two vessels with a medical team and a Sea King MK-42C helicopter have been deployed for evacuation of the crew.
Another naval ship cruising in the vicinity, INS Tabar was diverted to render assistance to Maharshi Krishnatreya.
Meanwhile, the Mercantile Marine Department, Kandla, has been ordered to conduct an inquiry into the incident, the DGS said.