Third Officer found hang in thruster room of tanker

Information was provided to MB by the insider regarding the tragic death of Third Officer of tanker SHANDONG ZIHE, on Oct 1, while tanker was en route to Banco Del Hoyo Anchorage W of Gibraltar Strait, from ports of Gulf of Guinea. He didn’t show up to replace CO for dinner, general alarm was sounded and crew mustered for his search. At 1900 UTC he was found hanging in bow thruster room, Cardiac Resuscitation CPR was applied, later he was transferred to infirmary, understood still alive, but at 2047 UTC he was declared dead by Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service TMAS, which was called immediately after he was found. His body was taken to freezer, tanker meanwhile, continued voyage. She arrived at Europa Point Gibraltar on Oct 3, and as of evening Oct 4 remained anchored.
No clarity yet as to the cause of his death, which as of now, looks like a suicide. He was 24-years old, of Indian nationality, he boarded tanker in the end of Aug in Lome, Togo.
Product tanker SHANDONG ZIHE, IMO 9261657, dwt 40059, built 2004, flag HK, ISM manager ANGLO-EASTERN SHIP MANAGEMENT (INDIA).

Author

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My name is Mikhail Voytenko, I’m Russian, professional merchant marine navigator, by education and former experience. I own and run Maritime Bulletin website for more than 10 years. I've been involved in solving a number of piracy hijack cases, including the hijack of ro-ro FAINA, loaded with tanks. It was me who made public, and unravel, freighter ARCTIC SEA mystery. I've been also closely involved in a number of maritime disaster, one of them being MSC FLAMINIA major fire.