Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 11, 1990 TAG: 9006110081
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: GALVESTON, TEXAS LENGTH: Medium
"This is a real big one," Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Todd Nelson said. "We've got burning crude oil rolling off the stern into the water." Authorities also said they were concerned that the ship's stern appeared to be listing.
The five explosions hit nearly 1 1/2 days after a blast and fire killed at least two crew members and forced evacuation of the 853-foot-long Norwegian tanker Mega Borg in the Gulf of Mexico. They were the latest in a series of smaller explosions that began Saturday afternoon.
The ship's stern, where the fire was concentrated, has dropped by 58 feet since the first explosion Saturday, indicating either that the cargo had shifted or the Mega Borg was taking on water, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Frank Whipple told a Sunday evening news conference.
"There certainly is a larger chance of the ship sinking than before the explosions," Nelso said. "We're still optimistic that the ship and cargo can be saved if there is an effective firefighting operation."
By 9 p.m., the stern had stabilized at 5 feet above the waterline, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Howard J. Holmes.
The latest blasts, which began late in the morning and ended around 12:30 p.m., came shortly after members of a salvage team boarded the crippled ship to begin a full-scale assault on the blaze. They were off the ship before the blasts began, and there were no reports of injuries.
A spill about one mile long north of the vessel and one about 20 miles long to the south were visible Sunday evening. Prevailing currents and winds were expected to push the oil toward a 150- to 200-mile stretch of Texas coast between Freeport and Corpus Christi.
by CNB