Remains of Three Missing Mariners Found onboard Maersk Honam

The remains of three out of the four missing crew members have been found on board the Maersk Honam containership which was hit by a major fire on March 6.

At this point in time, the three mariners remain unidentified, Maersk Line said in an update.

“Given the time passed and the severe fire damages of the vessel we must conclude by now that we have lost all four colleagues who have been missing since the fire onboard Maersk Honam which began on March 6. All four families of our deceased colleagues have been informed,” the update reads.

The missing seafarers included two Filipinos, one South African and one Indian.

The latest conclusion means that the fire claimed five lives of the 27 crew members that were manning the ship prior to the incident.

A thorough search on board the Maersk Honam continues. However, the active search and rescue mission at sea will be brought to a halt.

As informed, the crew members who were receiving intensive medical care, one Thai and one Filipino, have been moved to a general ward and are recovering well.

“Our colleagues that were evacuated to local hospitals in varying conditions of health are improving and we are now preparing to bring them back to their families as their condition allows,” Palle Laursen, Chief Technical Officer for Maersk Line, said.

The India Marine Police is conducting a routine investigation of the incident, and they will be interviewing all crew members.

On March 9, the Indian Coast Guard said that the fire on board the ultra large containership was localized and prevented from spreading.

Specialized firefighting vessels remain engaged, with salvage operations led by Smit Salvage and Ardent.

“Maersk Line is cooperating with the salvors and has two Marine Engineers onsite, working closely with Smit and Ardent,” the company said.

A full investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the fire and the impact to the vessel and cargo, Maersk Line added.