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$3.19 Million Settlement Reached in Fatal Ship Explosion

MAY 19, 1994

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT ARCHIVES

SETTLEMENT REACHED IN FATAL SHIP EXPLOSION

Published: Thursday, May 19, 1994
Section: LOCAL, page D3
Source: STAFF REPORT

© 1994 Landmark Communications, Inc.

A deadly maritime explosion off the coast of South Africa has resulted in a $3.19 million settlement for the families of a ship's captain and four crew members killed in the blast.

U.S. Steel Mining Co., Inc. agreed this week to pay $2.35 million in damages.

A federal judge in Norfolk had previously ordered the Pittsburgh-based company to pay an additional $840,000 related to the explosion on the coat-carrying ship, Berge Charlotte, on Oct. 27, 1990.

Jeffrey A. Breit, attorney for the plaintiffs, said the explosion was caused by a buildup of methane in one of the ship's holds.

US Steel Mining Co., which had sold the coal to a Taiwanese company, failed to warn the ship's crew that the coal was of a highly volatile variety, Breit said.

The coal was mined in West Virginia and loaded onto the Norwegian ship in Norfolk.

Killed in the explosion was captain Denzil J. Pereira, Vinod P. Menon, Vali M. Dosani, Niyaz S.A. Shaikh and Vallabhbhai N. Tandel. All were from India.

Breit said the explosion led to changes in the international rules governing the way coal shipments are labeled.

This article is ©1994 Landmark Communications, Inc. and may not be republished without permission. If you have questions or comments about the archives, please send us feedback.

Awarded: $3,190,000

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