BUNGA ALPINIA

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Authorities and industry experts board vessel to undertake inspection works

MISC Berhad informs in a press release that the monitoring of 'hot spot' areas onboard the vessel has been reduced and boundary cooling has stopped, enabling the authorities and industry experts engaged by MISC to board the vessel to undertake inspection works. As of this morning (July 31, 2012), no further slick is seen emitting from Bunga Alpinia. However, MISC will continue to deploy fresh booms around the vessel to ensure continuous protection of the environment and surrounding communities. Efforts are underway to clean up some parts of the shoreline that have been affected by the earlier minor oil slick. These areas have largely been cleaned and the situation is contained. Our teams and equipment are on site to mitigate any further eventualities. MISC has been informed by the police that DNA tests on the fourth and fifth body will need to be conducted for final confirmation although initial identification has been made by the respective families. A thorough investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident. Source: Original press release MISC http://www.misc.com.my/pressroom_pressrelease_release.php?id=88

Malaysia tanker explosion toll rises to five as last body found

Firefighters on Monday recovered the body of the last crewman missing after a Malaysian tanker exploded off Borneo island, bringing the death toll from the accident to five, police said. The charred body of the Malaysian crewmen was found inside the chemical tanker, which exploded early Thursday while being loaded with methanol on the South China Sea island of Labuan, district police chief Saiman Casran said. The bodies of four other crewmen, including a Philippine national, were recovered earlier near the MV Bunga Alpinia, which was engulfed and severely damaged by a huge inferno following a series of explosions. The accident occurred amid a thunderstorm and police said they suspect a lightning strike had triggered the blasts aboard the ship as it was docked at a methanol terminal run by national energy firm Petronas. http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20120730-362334.html

Spill from stricken MISC tanker Bunga Alpinia - Death toll rises to four

Malaysian authorities are battling to contain a spill form the stricken MISC tanker Bunga Alpinia as the search for the fifth missing continues, Seatrade Asia online reports. A total of four bodies have been recovered from the 38,000 dwt chemical tanker which was ravaged by fire and explosions early on Thursday morning while loading methanol in Labuan, East Malaysia, and a fifth seafarer remains missing. The fire has now been completely extinguished and cooling operations are underway. However, a spill has been detected from the vessel. “Initial observations indicate that there is a minor slick emitting from Bunga Alpinia, which is currently largely being contained around the vessel by anti- pollution containment booms,” MISC said. “The authorities and industry experts engaged by MISC have increased their efforts to contain the spill in ensuring the continuous protection of the environment and surrounding communities.”