Two die in Brazilian shipyard explosion

Two persons are reported dead and three injured in an explosion yesterday on board the 27,962 gt general cargo ship Auk Arrow.

The explosion occurred while the vessel was alongside at the Enavi Shipyard in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at 2215 local time .

The Bahamas-registered Auk Arrow is owned by Gearbulk Shipowning Ltd and managed by Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Skipsrederi A/S.

The dead and injured were shipyard workers. None of the ship's crew of 31 seafarers, all of Indian nationality, was injured.

The Auk Arrow arrived at the Enavi Shipyard on July 25 to undergo repairs in the water ballast tanks.

In a statement from their Fyllingsdalen, Norway, headquarters, Gearbulk and Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Skipsrederi A/S said: "a combined search and rescue operation was carried out by the ship staff along with Enavi Shipyard safety personnel including doctors, but regretfully one person was found dead and another person was declared dead upon arrival at hospital. Three other persons were conscious and able to speak when taken out from the water ballast tank. One with critical injuries was taken directly to the hospital, whilst two other were given first aid onboard and later taken to hospital."