Gas carrier catches fire off the coast of Bangladesh

A total of 31 people were rescued after two gas carriers caught fire near Chittagong port early Sunday. Crew members jumped into the sea following an explosion and fire that erupted.

The explosion occurred while LPG was transferred from the mother vessel, Captain Nicholas, to the 27-year-old lighter vessel B-LPG Sofia near Kutubdia. The fire initially started on the 32-year-old, 50,000 dwt Captain Nicholas and later spread more severely to the 6,665 dwt B-LPG Sofia, taking several hours to extinguish.

This marks the fourth tanker fire in Bangladeshi waters in just two weeks.