Oops! We seem to have crashed our battleship (or how Japanese destroyer sparked inferno by hitting container ship)
By
Julian Gavaghan
Last updated at 12:00 PM on 28th October 2009
This is the incredible scene after a Japanese naval destroyer collided with a container ship and caused both vessels to burst into flames today.
The JS Kurama hit the South Korean craft Carina Star under a bridge linking the Japanese main islands of Kyushu and Honshu in the narrow Kanmon Strait.
A giant hole was pierced in the destroyer’s bow where highly flammable paint was stored and instantly sparked the inferno.
Battle: Fire and smoke spew from the bow of Japanese destroyer Kurama as a ship crew tries to fight the fire
Fire and smoke spew from the bow of Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyer Kurama as a ship tries to fight the fire in the Kammon Straits in Fukuoka
Fire fighters aboard boats battled the blaze on the 4,500-ton naval vessel for hours.
The larger, 7,400-ton container ship fared better following the impact and flames burned only for a short time.
Luckily only three sailors out of 360 aboard the Kurama were injured and none of the Carina Star’s crew of 16 were hurt.
One mariner received minor scratches and bruises, while two of his shipmates were treated after inhaling smoke, according to the Japanese Coast Guard.
The authority suspect professional negligence may have been to blame and have launched an investigation.
Damage: The ship near the Kammon Bridge - linking Japan's two main islands - where the collision happened
Officials examine the damaged bow of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces destroyer JS Kurama in Kitakyushu. The 5,200-ton warship and a 7,400-ton South Korean container ship collided in the narrow Kanmon Strait
Japanese defense officials said the Kurama is still capable of travelling on its own despite its mangled hull.
The accident occurred under the Kanmon Bridge - about 530 miles southwest of Tokyo on the southern tip of Japan’s main island of Honshu.
All sea traffic in the strait was suspended for about four hours after the accident.
The Kurama was on its way to its home port of Sasebo on Kyushu after serving as the flagship for the country’s triennial fleet review on Sunday at the port of Yokosuka.
The container ship had left the South Korean port of Busan and was headed to Osaka in western Japan.
Last year, a collision between a destroyer and a tuna trawler off the coast of Chiba, near Tokyo, left two fishermen dead.
That accident triggered outrage in Japan, where many people are staunch pacifists following their country’s bloody military past.
Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa quickly held a press conference today to express regret.
‘We deeply apologise to the people for causing concerns,’ he said. ‘We will quickly find out what caused the accident.’
A mere scratch: The damaged hull of South Korean container ship Carina Star is seen off Kitakyushu
Before the accident: The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force escort ship Kurama (L) sails during a 2009 fleet review in Sagami Bay
With neighbours such as North Korea and an island population that must import foodstocks, I can see Japan's need for some marine defence establishment.
Is 7,400 tons the correct number for the container ship? Most of those ships seem rather large.
- RGSC Pat, Rutheron, New Mexico, USA, 30/10/2009 05:57
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