On a Hong-Kong-registered ship, a pipe ruptured when releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) from an automatic fire extinguishing system into the atmosphere.

The investigation reported that 4 days before the accident, as the ship was approaching Singapore, the Chief Engineer accidentally activated 92 gas cylinders when inspecting the automatic fire extinguishing system. The 5,060 kg of CO2 released were recovered in a pressure vessel. The commander reported the incident to the company’s management in Japan but not to the administrative authorities of the flag State of the vessel. Neither were the Singapore port authorities alerted upon the ship’s arrival in the port.

After a stopover and on the recommendations of the company’s management, while the ship was situated 430 nautical miles from Sri Lanka, the crew tried to vent the CO2 into the atmosphere via a home-made discharge pipe. The improvised pipe twisted under the passage of the CO2, and then detached from the vessel. The gas filled the room where the commander, chief engineer, chief officer and an engineer were situated and who died of suffocation.

Releasing the CO2 into the atmosphere had been poorly planned, was unsafe and uncontrolled. The Hong Kong merchant marine authority has issued a reminder that clear and adequate instructions, in addition to hazard signs relating to CO2, should be displayed on ships. In the event of problems, under no circumstances should CO2 be released when a freighter is at sea. Effectively, there would then be no more CO2 to protect the machine rooms. Accidental events should be widely reported to maritime authorities in the form of feedback.