Shocking moment a huge explosion on a 25,000-tonne oil tanker in South Korea sends a mushroom cloud of fire shooting into the sky leaving 10 injured
- At 10.50am local time, a mushroom cloud of fire erupted from Stolt Groenland
- Blaze spread to South Korean-flagged Bow Dalian – which was docked nearby
- Some 25 were rescued from Stolt Groenland and 21 sailors from the Bow Dalian
- Yet 10 people, most of whom were workers at the terminal, have been wounded
- Nine were South Korean, including one in a critical condition, and one from India
A devastating explosion at a South Korean port saw two oil tankers ravaged by an inferno which injured 10 people including one who is fighting for their life.
At around 10.50am local time in Ulsan, a mushroom cloud of fire erupted from the 25,000-tonne Stolt Groenland.
The blaze quickly spread from this Cayman Island-flagged ship to the 9,000-tonne South Korean-flagged Bow Dalian which was docked nearby.
Some 25 crew, including Russians and Filipinos, were aboard the Stolt Groenland when it exploded but were rescued uninjured, as were the 21 sailors on the Bow Dalian.
A mushroom cloud of fire was seen billowing from a vessel at the port in Ulsan, South Korea
At around 10.50am local time in Ulsan, a mushroom cloud of fire erupted from the 25,000-tonne Stolt Groenland
The devastating explosion at a South Korean port saw two oil tankers ravaged by an inferno which injured 10 people including one who is fighting for their life
There were 10 people, most of whom were workers at the terminal, understood have been wounded so far
Yet 10 people, most of whom were workers at the terminal, have been wounded so far.
Nine of them were South Korean, including one in a critical condition, and the other was from India.
Dramatic pictures from the port show thick black smoke billowing from the ships while elongated hoses spray water at the flames.
Fire crews tackling the blaze have largely extinguished it, port authorities have said.
One official said: ‘The fire has largely been put out but we are checking inside the vessels if there are any flames left or smoke coming out.’
Any impact on the terminal’s output or the surrounding environment appears minimal for now as the ships were at the port for repair, he added.
The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the incident, officials said.
Dramatic pictures from the port show thick black smoke billowing from the ships while elongated hoses spray water at the flames
Fire crews tackling the blaze (pictured) have largely extinguished it, port authorities have said
Stolt Tankers, a unit of Oslo-listed Stolt-Nielsen which owns the first ship, expressed concern about the incident.
In a statement it said: ‘The safety of all people on site and the protection of the environment is paramount to the company’s operations’
Norway’s Odfjell, which owns the other vessel, Bow Dalian, said the ship had been towed to safety and its crew accounted for.
Odfjell spokeswoman Anngun Dybsland said: ‘One of our crew members is undergoing treatment for light injuries stemming from the fire.’