By IANS,
Mumbai : A merchant navy officer was killed in a fire that broke out aboard the Indian ship, M.V. Oel Aishwarya, near the Sri Lankan coast, according to the directorate-general of shipping (DGS).
The ship’s Second Officer Babu Thomas died in the fire.
The DGS has ordered an inquiry into the incident and the loss of life, according to a statement issued here late Saturday night.
The enquiry will be conducted by the principal officer of mercantile marine department and the shipping master, Chennai.
The fire broke out on the high seas around 5 a.m. Saturday morning and was extinguished after nearly seven hours. The ship was on a scheduled voyage from Colombo to Chennai.
Despite the fire, the ship is in a condition to complete its voyage. It is expected to reach Chennai port around 10 p.m. Sunday.