Sri Lanka Tows Supertanker Away From Coast After Fire

Sri Lanka Tows Supertanker Away From Coast After Fire
The New Diamond, a very large crude carrier (VLCC) chartered by Indian Oil Corp (IOC), that was carrying the equivalent of about 2 million barrels of oil, is seen after a fire broke out off east coast of Sri Lanka, on Sept. 4, 2020. Courtesy Sri Lankan Airforce media/Handout via Reuters
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COLOMBO—Sri Lanka began towing a fully loaded supertanker that had caught fire off its east coast after it began drifting towards land, a spokesman for the navy of the Indian Ocean nation said on Friday.

The fire was still raging on the New Diamond tanker carrying about 2 million barrels of oil, said the spokesman, Captain Indika de Silva. There were 23 crew on board, one of whom is presumed dead. The rest have been taken off the ship by the Sri Lankan navy, with one injured crew member flown to the capital Colombo for treatment.