Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India’s maritime regulator, DG Shipping, has advised all Indian seafarers on vessels in Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and neighbouring waters to “mai-ntain continuous vigilance and heighten situation awareness”, taking note of unprecedented recent incidents.Referring to two seafarers being trapped inside the accommodation area of a tanker when fire engulfed it, the advisory said the only escape ro-ute was through the front portholes, “but it appears that there may not have been adequate provision or equipment to break the glass panels”.An official said, “This is an overall interim review… The objective is to prepare seafarers to respond effectively to all kinds of emergency situations, including awareness of escape routes and other safety measures. It is not specifically related to… MT Sky Light.”MT Sky Light was attacked on March 1 and saw its chief engineer being evacuated to hospital while two crew members, captain Ashish Kumar and wiper Dalip, remained unaccounted for.
