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Accidents

TSS Pearl (2022)

TSS Pearl suffered a cargo fire in the Red Sea, the 25-person crew abandoned ship safely, and the container ship later sank north-west of the Farasan Islands.

Classification

  • Incident Type: Fire / Sinking
  • Severity: High
  • Evidence: An official Saudi rescue statement confirms the crew evacuation, and an official navigational notice reports the vessel sunk. No official causal investigation report was identified.

Vessel Details

FieldValue
Vessel NameTSS Pearl
Vessel TypeContainer
Flag StatePanama [PA]
IMO Number9339868
MMSI373599000
Call Sign3FSL5
Gross Tonnage23633
LOA (m)190.94
Breadth (m)28.87
Bollard Pull (t)
Power (kW)
Owner/Operator
TEU
Year Built2008
Crew Size25

Incident Details

FieldValue
Date2022-10-05
LocationRed Sea, north-west of the Farasan Islands, off Saudi Arabia
Coordinates17.550000, 40.550000
RegionRed Sea
Fatalities0
Injuries0
Missing0
Cargo LossReported container loss; a few containers were reported floating
Direct Damage
Economic Damage
Insured Loss
Salvage/Cleanup Cost

Key facts

  • The fire was reported on 2022-10-05 while the vessel was about 123 nautical miles north-west of Jizan, Saudi Arabia.
  • Saudi Border Guards reported that the ship's 25 crew members were evacuated to Jizan in good health after a MAYDAY received by the Jeddah Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.
  • A contemporary maritime report said the fire was in containers just forward of the accommodation and that the abandoned vessel drifted north of the Farasan Islands.
  • Pakistan Navy's Notice to Mariners reported TSS Pearl sunk at 17-15.58N 039-56.41E and noted a few containers floating nearby.
  • VesselFinder lists IMO 9339868, Panama flag, 2008 build, 23,633 gross tonnage, and 190.94 m LOA.

Narrative

The fire was reported on 2022-10-05 while TSS Pearl was sailing in the Red Sea on a route from Jeddah toward Aden. Contemporary maritime reporting placed the fire in containers just forward of the crew accommodation. The 25-person crew abandoned the vessel, and the Saudi Press Agency reported that a Saudi Border Guards ship, working with a foreign ship, rescued all 25 sailors after a MAYDAY was received by the Jeddah Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre. The survivors were taken to Jizan and were reported in good health.

The Loadstar later reported that the abandoned vessel drifted north of the Farasan Islands and may have sunk in deep water. Pakistan Navy's official Notice to Mariners subsequently reported TSS Pearl sunk at 17-15.58N 039-56.41E, with a few containers floating in the vicinity. The exact sinking date is not established by the sources reviewed here. The initiating cause of the fire, the final condition of the cargo, any pollution, and the monetary loss remain unresolved. A secondary industry characterization linked the sinking to the cargo fire, but no official investigation finding confirming that causal chain was identified.

Sequence of events

DateEventEvidence status
2022-10-05Fire reported in the container stowage and the crew abandoned the vessel.Reported by contemporary maritime sources
2022-10-07Saudi Border Guards reported rescuing all 25 crew members and taking them to Jizan.Confirmed by official Saudi Press Agency statement
2022-10-13The Loadstar reported that the vessel had sunk or may have sunk after drifting north of the Farasan Islands.Contemporary report
2022-10-15Pakistan Navy's Notice to Mariners reported TSS Pearl sunk at 17-15.58N 039-56.41E, with a few containers floating nearby.Confirmed navigational notice

Investigation

No official accident investigation report was identified in the web sources reviewed for this page. The official Saudi statement establishes the rescue, and the official navigational notice establishes the reported wreck position. The fire's initiating cause, the precise sinking date, and the final damage, pollution, and economic-loss assessment remain unresolved.

References

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