Thursday, January 01, 2015
'Shortly after midnight on December 30 a Somali flagged wooden dhow Al Yaasiin caught fire while at anchorage after offloading livestock at the Port of Salalah. The Port of Salalah fire fighting tug boat team and the Omani Coast Guard were immediately deployed to the site and were able to assist with the safe evacuation of all of the 15 crew members to a nearby fishing vessel' a senior official at the port said.
The fire was contained to the single vessel and was fully extinguished by 6am. The damaged vessel was towed to a shallow area away from the port secured and marked for future salvage operations.
'There was no direct impact on the operations within the port and there were no injuries or loss of life as a result of the blaze. An investigation is ongoing by the port to determine the cause of the blaze and to work with the dhow boats to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future' the official added.
The Port of Salalah caters to over 45 traditional wooden dhows from East Africa each month providing a crucial link for East Africa to the Omani market via Dhofar.
The dhows typically bring livestock from East Africa to Oman and take back many essential consumer items from the Omani market.
'The port remains dedicated to servicing this emerging market and facilitating the economic ties between Oman and East Africa' said the official.