Russian Seafarer Dies After Toxic Gas Leak Aboard Tanker Off Istanbul, Second Officer Arrested

A Russian sailor died and two others were left in critical condition after a suspected toxic gas leak aboard the Panama-flagged tanker Swanlake near Istanbul, Turkish authorities reported.

Officials said the emergency was reported at around 5:30 p.m. on 19 November, when the vessel was positioned close to Democracy and Freedoms Island, several miles off Istanbul’s Asian coastline.

Responders determined that 32-year-old Urashev Zaur had died on board, while two other Russian crew members were taken to hospital and placed under intensive care.

Early findings indicated that the poisoning originated from a leak inside one of the ship’s cold tanks, an insulated area normally used for refrigerated storage. Authorities said that it was unclear what the tanker was carrying at the time.

Further examination later showed that the exposure began during a chemical-assisted cleaning operation in the slop tank. One crew member reportedly lost consciousness inside the tank, and other sailors who tried to help were also affected by the fumes.

Initial checks revealed that the gas level inside the slop tank had reached maximum levels, according to investigators.

The Istanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a formal investigation shortly after the incident. A statement from the office, reported indirectly by local media, said that the ship’s second officer had been identified in an expert report as responsible for allowing unguarded entry into the tank. He was subsequently detained and arrested by the Duty Magistrate.

Prosecutors added, in indirect comments, that procedural steps were being handled carefully as the victims were foreign nationals, following relevant Ministry of Justice guidelines.

Authorities said 13 Russian nationals were on board the tanker. Efforts were launched to evacuate 10 crew members and the two injured sailors, and the vessel was relocated to an anchorage area for further inspection and safety assessments.

The fatal incident occurred on the same day Turkish media reported findings from a forensic report into the deaths of four members of a Turkish-German family visiting Istanbul.

Investigators believe the family may have been exposed to chemicals used in a pest-control treatment on the ground floor of their hotel, with fumes possibly spreading through a bathroom vent to their room on the first floor.

Authorities detained 11 individuals as part of that separate inquiry.

References: cbsnews, hurriyetdailynews

Source: Maritime Shipping News