The name of the ship was "Vicuna". The port was shut down but has now been opened again. The ship exploded while they were unloading 11 Million
liters of ethanol. At the moment of the explosion, the ship contained five million liters ethanol.
Photo: TV Globo/EBU
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From: Reuters: Explosions shut down Brazil Paranagua port
Brazil's main grains port of Paranagua in the southern state of Parana closed on Monday after a vessel exploded, a Parana state civil defense service
official said.
Out of a crew of 31, four were still unaccounted for and 20 were injured
A Paranagua port spokesman said that the vessel exploded as it was loading methanol next to state oil company Petrobras' terminal where there are
many many fuel tanks.
From: Xinhuanet: Chilean tanker to sink off Brazilian
port
Authorities said that the vessel accidentally crashed into the dock while loading a cargo of ethanol, and sparks triggered by crashing ignited the
highly flammable fuel.
The fire caused explosion of one tank, and subsequently the ship was ruptured into two parts, one of which sank later.
Related news sources:
NRK: Lasteskip eksploderte (In norwegian)
The Washington Times: Brazil: Six killed in port explosion
Turkish Press: 31 dead in Brazil fuel tanker blast: report
Yahoo: Brazil fuel tanker explosion leaves six sailors missing - official
[Edited on 2004/11/16 by Hellmutt]
