越南海事搜救合作中心(VN MRCC)发布消息称，12月25日清晨7点，越南国家航运旗下一艘散货船“VINALINES QUEEN”在菲律宾海域失踪，该船从印尼Morowali港装载54,400吨镍矿驶往中国宁德，船上载有23名船员。

根据越南国家航运的航次显示，在12月25日上午7点，该船到达菲律宾东北海域的吕宋岛，“VINALINES QUEEN”号报告有18度的倾斜，之后便失去联系。

12月25日上午11:15，台湾救援队伍称其派救援至现场两次，但由于强风和海浪不得不返回基地。VN MRCC海上救援中心也通知了香港和日本该情况。

12月26日，“VINALINES QUEEN”保险公司的飞机靠近船失去联系的地点，但未有任何发现。

12月26日19:00点，越南国家航运的主管Nguyen Van Hanh说，公司没有从营救部队收到任何关于“VINALINES QUEEN”号目前状况的信息。

Vinalines survivor is found

A survivor has been found from the bulk carrier Vinalines Queen that went missing on Christmas Day while carrying a cargo of nickel ore.

Dau Ngoc Hung (31) was rescued after five days adrift at sea but it is unclear if there may be other survivors among the 23 man crew.

The Vinalines Queen is confirmed as a total loss.

The seafarer confirms that the 56,000-dwt Vinalines Queen (built 2005) sank off the Philippines after developing a list.

Hung picked up by the 206,000-dwt Mitsui controlled London Courage (built 2007) told rescuers that life rafts had been lowered on the starboard side of the Vinalines Queen but the vessel had sank quickly in 5,000 metres of water.

The rescue came after an air search and rescue operation was suspended with only an oil slick found near the last reported position of the Vinalines Queen.

A search by surface craft continues although severe weather conditions are hampering operations.

The loss of the Vinalines Queen is at least the fourth bulk carrier carrying nickel ore, a cargo at the centre of major concern about its potential for liquefaction.

Before losing contact the Vinalines vessel developed an 18 degree list suggesting there had been a cargo shift consistent with the liquefaction that nickel ore is prone to if the moisture content is above safe limits.

The protection and indemnity clubs have been warning shipowners of the dangers of nickel ore liquefaction since the 45,000-dwt Jian Fu Star (built 1981), the 56,000-dwt Nasco Diamond (built 2009) and the 50,000-dwt Hong Wei (built 2001) sank during the carriage of nickel ore from Indonesia to China with the loss of forty four lives.

The Vinalines Queen, on a voyage from Morowali in Indonesia to Ningde in China was northeast of Luzon in the Philippines when contact was lost.

By Jim Mulrenan in London