Explosion Aboard Tanker in Ireland Injures Two Crewmen

An explosion aboard the Bow Hercules, a Norwegian-flagged oil and chemical tanker, occurred on June 24 while the vessel was docked at Foynes Port in County Limerick, Ireland. The blast left two crewmembers seriously injured.

At around 6:30 p.m. local time, a gas cylinder detonated as the crew carried out routine maintenance work on one of the ship’s lifeboats. The incident triggered an immediate emergency response, with fire services, paramedics, and rescue teams quickly dispatched to the site.

One of the injured sailors suffered a traumatic head injury and was taken to University Hospital Limerick. The second crewmember sustained a major injury to the chest and was airlifted to Cork University Hospital for urgent treatment.

Local media outlets reported that both injured crew members are Filipino nationals. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the tanker itself suffered structural damage from the explosion.

Operations at the Port of Foynes were briefly halted following the incident, while officials launched a formal investigation to determine what caused the explosion.

The Bow Hercules was built in 2017 and is designed to transport oil and chemicals. The vessel measures 182.73 meters in length, 32 meters in width, and has a cargo capacity of 40,847 tonnes.