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Three crew members of crude carrier MV Heng San were killed and two others reported missing after a powerful explosion led to its sinking about 360 nautical miles from Goa, Coast Guard sources said.
The ship gave a distress call around 11.30 pm on Tuesday after the blast, following which merchant vessels -- MV Clovli and MV Aztec -- rescued 37 of 42 persons on board.
The explosion is believed to have been caused by accumulated gas in its chambers, sources added.
The Heng San, a 25-year-old crude carrier managed by Ocean Tankers of Singapore, weighs 241,000 tonnes fully loaded, over twice as much as an aircraft carrier.
The tanker was en route to the United Arab Emirates and was not loaded. Details of the crews' nationalities are not available.
PTI
EARLIER REPORT: Blast in tanker in Arabian sea
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