An oil tanker 'MT Averton', carrying about 60,000 tons crude oil, collided with a fishing trawler and caught fire off Oman coast, leaving one crew member dead, besides injuries to several others.
Sources told Business Recorder on Tuesday on telephone from Oman that the oil tanker crew had abandoned the vessel immediately after their Second Officer died of wounds. About 22 crew members were rescued by helicopter to the shore.
The oil tanker belongs to the operators of 'Tasman Spirit' which was grounded at Karachi harbour on July 27 last year. Tuesday's was the second 'ship casualty' in last nine months.
Soon after receiving information about the incident, the owners have appointed Henderson International, fifth among world's top experts dealing with ship accidents, to investigate the accident.
The ship crew members were expected to reach some middle-eastern country on Wednesday morning where they would record their statements with the investigators.