The Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard are currently working together to control the fire that erupted in an oil tanker off Sri Lanka’s Eastern Coast on Thursday, the Navy said.

The fire in the VLCC MT New Diamond sailing 38 nautical miles off Sangamankanda Point east of Sri Lankan seas erupted after an explosion of a boiler in the main engine room around 8.00 a.m. on 03rd September 2020.

New Diamond, travelling from Kuwait to Paradip, is carrying cargo of 270,000 tonnes of crude and 1,700 tonnes of diesel.

An MI 17 helicopter of Sri Lanka Air Force carried out several aerial operations, until the sunset of Thursday dousing water on the ship to control the flames. Meanwhile, a beach craft is conducting periodic air surveillance and a Dornier aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard also monitored the disaster situation from the air.

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