Smouldering MSC Flaminia awaits clearance 100 miles off UK shores

THE 6,732-TEU MSC Flaminia that caught fire in the mid-Atlantic on July 14, killing two crew and injuring three others, has been halted along with its group of firefighting tugboats about 100 miles off the British coast for inspections by firefighters and shipbuilding experts.

The fire that broke out about 1,000 miles from land, while the vessel was en route from Charleston to Antwerp, ravaged three cargo holds. The 2001-built vessel is owned by Germany's Reederei NSB.

Over the weekend, firefighters reboarded the stricken ship in readiness for the one-by-one inspection of containers to check for smouldering fires. Shipbuilding experts are also on site to assess the stability of the vessel that was earlier reported listing at 10 degrees because of damaged cargo and water pumped onto the ship to extinguish the flames.

"Overall, the situation onboard MSC Flaminia continues to improve," the shipowner said. "According to firefighting experts, almost no smoke generation can be observed from cargo holds 4 and 5. Nevertheless, hot spots inside of individual containers should still be reckoned with."

Authorities will decide in the next few days when to grant permission for the ship to enter a sheltered coastal area for more thorough inspections of the vessel to continue, according to media reports.