Page 27 - Insurance Times March 2024

On the other hand Chief Engineer Kalomiropoulos, who had radioman was in the Captain's boat. Prior to leaving the
been awakened by the explosion and went immediately to bridge Georgoulis instructed the radioman to send out an
the engine room, said that it was still very dark outside and SOS, giving an approximate position of about 120 miles south
indeed that it was still dark when the crew abandoned the west of Dakar.
vessel in lifeboats about a half hour later. At some later time,
he saw the smoke which he described as being dark grey to The radioman reported to the Captain that the message had
black. The report computed that the sunrise at the scene been sent but that he had received no response. Yet, no
of the casualty was at 0626 hrs local time. Upon arriving in record of this message is found of having been received by
the engine room Kalomiropoulos observed that the engines any ship or coast station. Neither Georgoulis nor
had been stopped and learned from the First Assistant, who Kalomiropoulos took with them any personal possessions,
had just taken over the watch, that he had stopped the explaining that they had no time. None of the ship's
engines without orders as soon as the explosion occurred. documents were saved with the exception of the
Kalomiropoulos also was told that water was coming into registration certificate which had been delivered to the ship
the engine room apparently from the forward section where by the vessel's agent at Mina al Ahmadi. Chief Mate Anivas
the bulkhead divides the engine room from the pump room. saved that document along with all passports which he had
assembled in preparation for entering Tenerife, where
Kalomiropoulos immediately turned on the electric bilge Shipomex had instructed the vessel to proceed for bunkers.
pump and switched the general service pumps to the bilge
suction. He then instructed the First Assistant to remain at The SALEM was abandoned about at 0430 hrs on January
his station while he, Kalomiropoulos, went to the bridge. 16, with smoke still coming from the bow and the engine
There he reported to Georgoulis that the engine room was room continuing to flood. The weather was good with wind
taking water and that every available pump was operating from the northwest about 10 knots, moderate swells and
in an attempt to control the flooding. Georgoulis instructed fair visibility. The two lifeboats remained in the vicinity of
the Chief Engineer to go back to the engine room to the sinking SALEM throughout. About 0800 hrs, on 16
determine whether the flooding was under control; if not January a second explosion occurred on the ship, but the
he was to turn on the emergency generator and proceed location could not be determined since the boats were then
to his lifeboat promptly. about a mile or so distant from the ship. Although the
radioman was sending out distress signals on a portable radio
Georgoulis told Kalomiropoulos that he had already ordered at regular intervals, no vessels were sighted or heard from
the Chief Mate to prepare for abandoning the ship. After throughout the day of 16 January.
some time, the Master sounded the abandon ship signal on
the whistle.. When he returned to the engine room About 0400 hrs, on 17 January another much louder explosion
Kalomiropoulos could see that the water was rising above was heard from the SALEM and it was noted that at this time
the floorplates, having come up about one meter during the the navigational lights went out. About 1100 hrs, the
time he had been to the bridge. Accordingly, he shut down radioman told Georgoulis that a ship had responded to their
the turbo generator, causing the emergency diesel to start distress calls. This was the MV BRITISH TRIDENT, a large
automatically, thus providing the ship with sufficient power southbound tanker. An orange flare was sent up and about a
for her navigation lights and other internal lights. He then half hour later the TRIDENT reached the two lifeboats. At
secured the boilers and left the engine room preceded by approximately this time, perhaps 1100 or 1130 hrs, on 17
the First Assistant whom he told to go directly to his lifeboat January, the SALEM sank, rolling over to port and going down
while he, Kalomiropoulos, checked on the auxiliary stern first. Although there was smoke, Georgoulis and
generator to see that it was functioning properly. Kalomiropoulos both said that at no time was any fire or flame
ever sighted on the SALEM. However, there was some oil seen
From there Kalomiropoulos himself went to the boat deck on the water which was presumed to be cargo.
where he could see that both boats were already in the
water. The ship was at dead stop. He and the Captain No one was injured, except for one man who bruised his nose
entered the starboard boat with nine other men and Chief while entering the lifeboat. Captain Georgoulis was
Mate Anivas was in the port boat with ten men. The questioned closely as to his reasons for abandoning ship so

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