JAKARTA, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Two crew members were killed after a landing craft vessel caught fire in waters off Indonesia's Southeast Sulawesi province while sailing from Jakarta to Morowali, a local port authority official said Wednesday.
Hamjan, head of the Raha Port Authority office, said the incident involving the Legenda Nusantara 699 occurred Tuesday. All 13 crew members were evacuated, with seven surviving without serious injuries and four others receiving intensive care at a hospital.
The vessel was carrying heavy equipment and chemicals when strong waves were believed to have caused its cargo to shift, resulting in a chemical tank leak that triggered the fire, Hamjan said.
The vessel was later reported to have sunk, with some of its chemical cargo spilling into the surrounding waters.
The Transportation Ministry and relevant agencies are handling the impact of the chemical spill and investigating the cause of the accident and the deaths of the two crew members. ■
