An 82,000-ton cargo ship has ploughed into a Chinese fishing boat in the Singapore Strait. (Screengrab/X/@Telegraph)
A large cargo ship hit a small Chinese fishing boat in the Singapore Strait, the Telegraph reported. A video from the fishing boat shows crew members holding onto rails as water rushed over the deck. No one was hurt in the crash.
The Panama-flagged ship, First Margaux, is 229 metres long and weighs about 82,300 tonnes. It hit the Luqing Yuanyu 108, a fishing boat about 49 metres long, at around 8 am last Thursday, September 17, according to ship-tracking data. Both ships were heading west toward the Strait of Malacca.
The video shows the fishing crew watching the ship get closer from behind.
They shout as the gap between the two boats closes. Then the cargo ship hits the fishing boat’s side, pushing it sideways. Water pours over the deck as the crew hold onto rails.
An 82,000-ton cargo ship has ploughed into a Chinese fishing boat in the Singapore Strait.
The 750ft-long bulk carrier First Margaux struck the Luqing Yuanyu 108, a 160ft Chinese fishing vessel, at about 8am last Thursday, according to ship-tracking data.
Ship tracking data shows both vessels were in the same lane heading west. The cargo ship was moving two to three knots faster than the fishing boat and was passing it at the time. Traffic in the area was heavy, leaving little room to move. No one has said yet who was at fault.
After the crash
Panama’s Maritime Authority said the cargo ship was not damaged. The fishing boat was damaged but stayed afloat and reached port on its own. Officials said both crews were safe and in good health.
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Maritime analyst Sal Mercogliano commented on the footage, saying, “One of the problems of ship collision videos is you only get one perspective.” He also pointed out that the Singapore Strait is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
The cargo ship kept moving for about two hours before it stopped, turned around, and dropped anchor. The fishing boat kept sending its location signal and reached a nearby berth soon after.
How the footage was verified
BBC Verify checked the clips shared on social media and confirmed they show the real collision. The team identified both ships and traced the crash to waters near Singapore, with evidence pointing to September 17 as the date it happened. BBC Verify said it remains unclear whether anyone was injured or killed, and why the collision happened.
The Singapore Strait is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Large ships pass through narrow lanes there every day, sharing space with smaller boats.
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An 82,000-ton cargo ship has ploughed into a Chinese fishing boat in the Singapore Strait. (Screengrab/X/@Telegraph) 
