Two workers who went missing following an explosion on an anchored engineering vessel in Guigang, in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, have been found dead, local authorities said Thursday night, raising the death toll to three.
The incident happened on October 6 when the vessel was moored along the natural riverbank near Hubiao Village in Xintang Town, Gangnan District. At the time of the explosion, workers were engaged in rust removal and spray-painting operations in the vessel’s hold and on deck.
The authorities’ early findings suggest that the flash explosion was likely triggered by construction personnel on-site failing to follow non-compliant operating procedures.
One worker was confirmed dead the day of the accident and two others were initially reported missing. Another two workers were injured slightly by the blast.
Rescuers recovered the remains of the two missing workers on October 8 after several days of intensive round-the-clock search operations, and confirmed that both had died.
The two injured workers are still under medical observation. Authorities said their conditions are not life-threatening.
An investigation is now under way to establish the exact circumstances of the explosion and the reasons for it.
The accident is the second major vessel incident reported in China in recent weeks. A fire broke out on board the Ocean Melody on September 10 while the ship was under routine overhaul and maintenance in Qingdao port. The incident claimed the lives of 25 people.
The latest blast underscores the safety risks that can arise in maintenance and surface-treatment activities on ships, particularly if operational procedures are not followed correctly.
