Cargo ship explosion investigation starts

An investigation is underway following a significant explosion on the bulk carrier Olivia, which occurred while the ship was docked in Bluff last weekend. The incident took place around 4:30 AM on Saturday, injuring three crew members who were working in the engine room. All injured personnel were transported to Southland Hospital for treatment, with one sustaining serious burns.

Details of the Incident

The explosion happened as the crew was conducting maintenance on a boiler in the engine room of the Malta-registered vessel. According to a spokesperson from the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC), the explosion or flashback resulted in varying degrees of injury among the crew members. One individual suffered hospital-level burns, while the other two experienced minor injuries. As of yesterday, the condition of all three crew members remained uncertain.

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In response to the incident, the Olivia was relocated to berth five at South Port on Sunday afternoon. A specialized team from TAIC, consisting of a former ship captain, a senior engineer, and a data extraction expert, has commenced a thorough investigation. The team has already interviewed crew members and other individuals involved in the incident, as well as documented the affected areas with photographs.

While TAIC is leading the investigation, it is important to note that reports on such incidents typically take between 18 months to two years to complete. Additionally, Maritime New Zealand (Maritime NZ) is also conducting its own investigation into the explosion, as is standard protocol for notable incidents occurring at ports.