On the evening of 20 April 2022, the chemical tanker was anchored at anchorage 8 in the North Sea. The recently unloaded vessel had discharged its cargo of
palm oil in Rotterdam, and was being prepared to take on a new cargo of gas oil in Amsterdam. To receive the new cargo, the tanks first had to be filled with inert gas (nitrogen, N2). In accordance with the procedure, the tanks had to undergo a final visual inspection after washing, before they were filled with this inert gas.
At around 19.00 hours (LT), an able-bodied seaman (AB) carried out this final visual inspection in the front tanks, before they could be filled with the nitrogen. When the captain tried to make contact with the AB on the walkie-talkie, he received no reply. Thereupon, he sent the first officer to the front tank to investigate the situation. Upon arrival, the first officer saw the AB lying on a platform in the tank and sounded the alarm via the walkie-talkie. This was the only contact between the first officer and the other crew members on board the vessel. When the captain arrived at the tank opening, he too saw the AB lying on a platform in the tank. The AB was retrieved from the tank by the vessel’s rescue team and, with serious injuries, subsequently transported to hospital by SAR helicopter. The first officer was found on the bottom of the tank. Resuscitation efforts were started, but proved unsuccessful.
