Which ship sank alongside?

[Robin Ellis]

I can't remember the date, but in the 70's I was on an "A" boat which was moored close to the restaurant on the Shell island of Paulo Bukum. There was a line of tankers, all "A", "H" or "P" (I think). One of them sounded the emergency on the ships horn and slowly settled by the stern until on the bottom.
I heard afterwards that a 3/E had removed a coffer-dam inspection cover only to find it was really a blank over an old pump suction that went through the ship's side.

Can anyone remember hearing of this incident, the name of the ship and the real cause?

I had a picture of her well down by the stern with the crew on the shore, but it was lost with many others some years ago.

Thanks, Robin

[Captain Kong]

Hi Robin,
I have been searching but cannot find any reference to it.
I did find an interesting piece of a Shell and Eagle Oil Tankers that were attacked and bombed by the American CIA.in Balikpapan.
That was a strange thing to do.
Then I remembered, In 1960 when I spent six months in those Islands we had a few Air Raids, one was shot down in Padang when we were there, out of seven ships we were the only ship Not bombed, the plane was shot down and the Pilot was an American, He was excuted in front of us by firing squad. We had been smuggling weapons from an source in Singapore to some of the Rebels in the Islands and I guess that is why we were spared.
So this could be a similar event.
the Shell tanker DROMUS referred to in the article below, had its own disaster in 1951 when it exploded when topping off in Singapore and 22 men were killed.
.
.


1958 rescue in Borneo
On 28 April 1958 at Balikpapan Harbour, in the East Kalimantan Province of Borneo, a Douglas B-26 Invader bomber aircraft, flown by the CIA and painted black and with no markings,[19] attacked the Shell oil terminal there. The Invader bombed and sank Eagle Oil and Shipping's SS San Flaviano and made an unsuccessful attack on Anglo-Saxon Petroleum's MV Daronia.
Immediately after the attack Daronia left Balikpapan for the safety of Singapore, taking with her 26 of San Flaviano's rescued crew.
A few days later DROMUS assisted by taking a further 24 of San Flaviano's crew from Balikpapan to Singapore. Shell also evacuated shore-based wives and families to Singapore and suspended its tanker service to Balikpapan.
.
cant answer the question but just a bit of interest.
Cheers
Brian.

[Keith at Tregenna]

12 October 1978 – The Spyros Disaster:

It was the worst industrial accident in Singapore’s history. At about 2pm of 12 October 1978, Liberian-registered Greek tanker Spyros exploded at the Jurong shipyard, killing 76 people and injuring hundreds.

Due to the after-lunch timing, the number of casualties increased dramatically, as many workers were returning to the repair works. Many were burnt to death. Others suffered serious burns and inhalation of toxic gases.

During the seventies, safety practices at the shipyard was not strongly enforced. A repair cutting tool might have caused the sparks to ignite the vapour of the crude oil on the tanker. More safety regulations were implemented after the disaster.

LINK: Spyros disaster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

k.

[Captain Kong]

I remember the Spyros tragedy, she was in the Dry Dock in Jurong, I was in Singapore at the time, at the SBM Bouy at Pulau Awai Chaiwan, a small island off Singapore Straits.
A ten minute boat trip to Jurong. I was on the Esso Caledonia a 256,000 ton ESSO tanker.
Cheers
Brian.

[Robin Ellis]

Brian,
Thanks for the reply.

I was on the Hindsia and when we were going along the coast to Balikpapum we passed the superstructure of a Shell tanker sticking out of the water.
I was told at the time that it had been sunk my an American mercenary - but now I know the truth. Thanks.

It was a tough time out there. A deck cadet, around the same time, was shot by a Philippeno soldier. The cadet was preparing to hoist the philippean flag, it was windy, so he stood on it to control it. The guard shot him dead.

No, this was definitely a Shell A, H or P who settled slowly by the stern giving everyone time to walk off with all their gear. What a shame I don't have the photos now.
Robin

[Robin Ellis]

Thanks, Keith.

No, it was a Shell Tanker, I can remember the funnel.

Robin

[Robert Holbrook]

I heard about a shell tanker sinking alongside called the Halia just a story I heard when on "Eulota"

[Jim Glover]

I remember this incident well as it was the talk of the fleet at the time,As I recall the junior engineer on the 12=4 watch was instucted by the third engineeer to open one of the tank tops in the bilges to reduced the amount of water as they could not pump them out alongside .He took out all the bolts from the cover only to find sea water rushing into the Engine Room .If he had left 4 bolts in and broke the joint ,he would still have been able to reseal the tank top cover.I sailed with the junior engineer a couple of years kater on the Plagiola or Asprella arounf 1972 /73.
Now one requires
Permit to work
Risk Assrssment
Tool Box Talk
ETC ETC ETC

[john sutton]

there was a Manchester liner sunk alongside in Manchester docks during the early 50s.The reason was apparently the same as above.
fortunately it touched bottom before any accommodation was affected.
The reason was similar and as the ship was being loaded the entry gradually got to the entry level . Anyone who sailed up the canal in those days would know what a mess there would be and probably an engineer caused the problem but the greasers would have to clean up

[David John Atkinson]

Hi Robin
It was the Hadriania. I was on the Hyria also alongside. I had met her R/O at the Bukom club. He said he was due to sail and
returned to the ship. I was surprised to see her alongside, down by the stern. I saw the R/O on deck and he invited me on board
to see the flooded engine room. A diver replaced the plate and she was pumped out and towed to anchor. She was back in service
some while later. The Hyria was on the Nha Be and HK run at the time.

Cheers

David Atkinson

R813723