Four Bow Mariner crewmen won't talk to investigators
05:20 PM EST on Monday, March 8, 2004
Reported by: Eric Turner
Nine days after the sinking of the chemical tanker Bow Mariner, the investigation is stalled.
The Virginian-Pilot newspaper reports that four of the six survivors aren't cooperating with the Coast Guard.
They've invoked the fifth amendment, which gives people the right to remain silent and not to incriminate oneself.
The other two have spoken with investigators.
The Bow Mariner, a 570-foot tanker registered in Singapore, was traveling from New York to Houston and was carrying 3.2 million gallons of ethanol, a highly flammable, colorless alcohol used in manufacturing. On the night of February 28, it went down in 260 feet of water more than 50 miles east of Chincoteague, near the Virginia-Maryland line.
The cause of the explosion is being investigated by the Coast Guard, which preliminarily concluded there's no evidence of foul play.
A survivor from the Bow Mariner was treated at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Three crewman have been confirmed dead. 18 others are missing and six survived.
The Coast Guard released an audio tape of Bow Mariner's frantic call for help as explosions ripped through her that fateful night.
Some of the last words to be heard from the ship were, "Bow Mariner, Bow Mariner. We are on fire. We are on fire! Mayday, mayday, mayday! This is Bow Mariner, Bow Mariner. We are on fire! Mayday, mayday, mayday, this is Bow Mariner. We are on fire. We are on fire!"
As the Coast Guard determines the extent of the damage and how to reclaim fuel oil inside the sunken ship, efforts will also determine whether any of the missing crewmen are entombed and should be recovered for burial on land.
This week, the ship's parent company is bringing in the 252-foot Mystic Viking, a diving support vessel that will be the working platform for the salvage operation; and the 226-foot offshore supply vessel Powhatan, which will use a remotely operated vehicle to survey the tanker on the ocean floor.
The ROV will take still and video photography and has the ability to manipulate objects on the seabed. Depending on the size of the opening it also can also be steered inside the vessel.
http://www.wvec.com/news/local/wvec_local_030804_bow_mariner_investigation.675dc549.htmlthey were the crew members smoking the cigarettes.