Bulk Jupiter Sinks off Vietnam

zoom A supramax bulk carrier Bulk Jupiter sank about 150 nautical miles off the coast of Vung Tau, Vietnam, killing two of the crew members, with 16 still missing, and only one survivor. Gearbulk, the Norwegian owner and operator of the vessel, said that Bulk Jupiter departed Kuantan on December 30, 2014, at around 20:00 hours local time, with 19 crew members, all Filipinos, on board and about 46,400 mts of Bauxite in bulk, stowed in all five of her cargo holds. The vessel issued distress signals at 22:54 hours local time on January 1. The Japanese Coast Guard received the distress alert and immediatley initiated search and rescue operation. One lifeboat and a life raft, both empty, from Bulk Jupiter have been observed by M/V Zim Asia in the vicinity. The tug boat, M/V OLNG Muttrah, picked up one surviving crew member in the area, identified as the chief cook Angelito Roxas. The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs today identified the two seamen who died in the accident as the ships captain Ronel Acueza Andrin, aged 45, and third officer Jerome Maquilang Dinoy, aged 23.