ABT Summer
The incident
On the morning of 28 May 1991, the Liberian oil tanker ABT Summer exploded 1,287 km off the coast of Angola (Africa). It was transporting 260,000 tonnes of heavy Iranian crude. In the afternoon, 7 vessels arrived onsite to rescue the crew. 27 people were rescued, however one person was killed and 4 went missing.
Two tugs, the Red Kestrel and the Red Robin, as well as a plane attempted to fight the fire onboard the ship.
On 29 May, the flames were still raging onboard the ABT Summer and an oil slick was beginning to form around the ship (32 km long by 7 km wide). The tanker burnt for 3 days before sinking on 1st June.
In June, the response team attempted to track down signs from the ABT Summer to locate the wreck, in vain. The wreck has never been found since.
Impact
As the incident occurred far from the coast, there was little environmental impact.
Sources:
- Oil spill intelligence report, 30 May 1991
- Golob's Oil Pollution Bulletin, 7 June 1991, Liberian tanker explodes in Atlantic off Angola
- L.C. White and F.C. Molloy, 2003, Factors that determine the cost of oil spills
- HOOKE, Norman, 1997, Maritime Casualties 1963-1996, second edition, LLP Limited, London
Name: ABT Summer
Date: 28/05/1991
Location: Angola
Accident area: 1,287 km off Angola
Cause of spill: explosion
Product transported: heavy Iranian crude
Quantity transported: 260,000 tonnes
Type of pollutant: heavy Iranian crude
Quantity spilled: between 44,000 and 57,000 tonnes
Ship type: oil tanker
Date built: 1974
Shipyard: Ulsan, South Korea
Length: 344.43 m
Width: 81.87 m
Flag: Liberian
Owner: Somatra ltd
Operator: Arabian Bulk Trading ltd. of Al Khobar
Charterer: The National Iranian Tanker Co.
Last update: 16 June 2010