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Another intersting perspective. Notice the state of ship as mentioned.

Three Dead, 18 Missing as Tanker Sinks Off US

1 hour, 28 minutes ago

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard (news - web sites) launched a massive sea search Saturday for 18 missing crew after a chemical tanker carrying 11,000 tons of industrial ethanol exploded off the Virginia coast, killing three.

Coast Guard Lt. Buddy Dye said three crew died and six others were saved after the tanker sank 50 miles from the Virginia shore and that helicopters, a C-130 plane and lifeboats would continue the search for survivors.

"We're being hampered by the dark and of course the chemicals in the water, but the sea conditions are not too bad," he said, adding that the longer they were in the water, the less chance there was of survival. The crew of the Bow Mariner, a 570-foot (170-meter), 39,000 deadweight ton Singapore-flagged vessel sailing from New York to Houston, were believed to be Filipino and Greek.

Dye said the explosion occurred around 6 p.m. (2300 GMT), east from Chincoteague in eastern Virginia, which is roughly 80 miles north of Norfolk, a major naval base. He said the blast had almost obliterated the tanker.

Industrial ethanol is a form of fuel and gasoline additive sometimes used as a solvent in the manufacture of varnishes and perfumes.