🇹🇼 Residents in the Pattaya area of Thailand panicked when they saw the LPG tanker NP Bangpakong run aground at dawn. The vessel was in ballast and had no cargo on board at the time of the incident
According to media reports, the captain of the LPG tanker NP Bangpakong (3,996 deadweight tonnes) told authorities that the vessel ran aground while trying to avoid a collision with a fishing vessel. Shipping company SC Group Holding later issued a statement confirming that the vessel ran aground at about 02:25 on March 25. It was sailing between two ports in Thailand
The vessel was built in 1991 and has been in service in Thailand since 2013. It is 100 metres (328 feet) long
The shipping company said it had already sent experts to assess the extent of the damage and refloat the vessel. The company also issued a press release that the incident occurred "due to the negligent attitude of an employee (probably the captain) - MN note to his duties." The company said it took responsibility for the incident and promised to take stricter "preventive measures" in the future.
It is known for certain that the ballast tanks were damaged, the cargo tanks were not damaged.
