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Report: Leaking LPG caused explosion
LPG that leaked into a closed area and ignited was behind the explosion on the'Sofia' 35 nautical mileseast of Bornholm on the evening of Nov 28, 2024, according to an investigation of the Swedish Accident Investigation Board, published on Jan 8, 2026. As a result, an explosion occurred and a fire broke out in the foreship, while the ship was ballasting from Poland to Blekinge. The explosion caused extensive damage. Parts of the forward mooring deck were blown up. and the forward cargo bulkhead landed 30 meters aft in the cargo hold. All five cargo hatches came loose, two of them landed in the sea, while the remaining three collapsed into the empty hold. At the same time, the ship lost power, but the main engine continued to function. The master, who was on watch on the bridge at the time of the accident, stated in the investigation that he heard a very loud bang and saw a yellow-orange cloud of fire outside the bridge windows and felt heat. He could see how the cargo hatches were lifted from the front, one by one, and were thrown around in the air. The distress calls made by the crew over VHF radio were only faintly heard by coastal radio stations and surrounding ships. Lyngby Radio picked up a distress call and initiated a rescue operation in which a number of ships and two rescue helicopters participated. The entire crew of five people were rescied by a Swedish Maritime Administration's helicopter at 10:47 pm. No one was injured in the incident. The ship then drifted abandoned until Nov 30, when it was taken in towed to Landskrona, where it arrived on Dec 4. The damage was so extensive that the ship was shortly afterwards towed to Esbjerg to be scrapped. The investigation showed that the explosion was caused by LPG leaking and igniting in a space in the foreship that was used as a workshop but also for storing LPG. Neither the crew on board nor the shipping company had identified and addressed the risks associated with the space being unsuitable for its purpose, lacking ventilation, having unsuitable access routes and being connected to the cargo hold. A contributing factor to the extent of the damage was that the space had a relatively large volume without ventilation openings or the like that could ventilate the gas before it ignited or relieve the pressure from the explosion. The owner of the vessel, ther Fiducia Rederi. was recommended by the Swedish Accident Investigation Board to develop its systematic work environment management and its safety organisation system in order to be able to identify, assess and take the protective measures required to limit the risks that may arise on the company's vessels when handling hazardous or flammable substances and when using spaces that are difficult to access, have inadequate ventilation or where oxygen deficiency may occur. Full report: https://shk.se/sok-utredningar/sjofart/2024-12-10-sofia---brand-ombord
Sofia found beyong repair
The 'Sofia' has suffered such extensive damage that it cannot be repaired and the ship, which had been towed to a yard in Landskrona for investigations, was sent to a scrapyard. The five crew members, four of them within the Seko seafarers' agreement area, were laid off as a consequence. The union negotiation with the shipping company was completed and signed on Dec 9. The cause of the explosion was still unclear. The accident was now being investigated by the Accident Commission, which found that the explosion on the foredeck knocked out the ship's power supply. The main engine still worked, but not the other propulsion systems.
Damaged ship towed to Landskrona
On Dec 4 at around 2 p.m. UTC, the 'Fairplay 20' has towed the 'Sofia', into the port of Landskrona, where it was berthed at the Oresund Drydocks AB. The case has ended up with prosecutors and an accident investigation was to be carried out.
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