The US Coast Guard said in a statement that the captain of the Tamar, a 623-foot Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier, reported an explosion in the forward storeroom yesterday morning.
The captain reported that one crew member was killed and three suffered massive burns. A second crewmember later died. The fire is extinguished but the cause is unknown.
The Coast Guard says New York Air National Guard pararescuers arrived last night and will stay with the ship until higher medical authority takes over. The Portuguese Coast Guard is set to pick up the injured.