Fishing vessel set alight in Cape Town
2013-03-03 15:47
Johannesburg - A man has died in an apparent incident of arson aboard a Korean fishing ship berthed in Cape Town, the city's disaster risk management centre, said on Sunday.
Spokesperson Wilfred Solomons-Johannes said Vietnamese citizen Ho Xuan Tung, 29, was found burnt beyond recognition in the fire on Saturday night. He said 25 other seaman were rescued.
"Upon arrival of the emergency services and disaster response teams, smoke was billowing from the vessel," he said.
The boat was docked at the landing wharf on the foreshore.
Fire-fighters battled through the night to contain the blaze, in conditions made difficult by a strong south-easterly wind.
The fire was eventually extinguished just after 01:00 on Sunday.
Solomons-Johannes said the 25 crew were given emergency shelter at a seamen's club.
"Upon interviewing the crew members by the relevant authorities, it appears that in the course of [a] conflict, the vessel was purposefully torched," he said.
The police were investigating.
Solomons-Johannes said the rescued sailors were from a number of Asian countries, including China, Taiwan, Vietnam and South Korea.
- SAPA
