A container on the working deck of the offshore supply ship ASSO exploded on Wednesday evening, killing three crew members and injuring one.
The explosion was recorded in the port of Crotone, Calabria, southern Italy, where ASSO was due to set sail for Malta.
The coordinated effort to put out the fire by teams of firefighters and land tugs lasted about two hours.
The fifth seaman on board was rescued and is in a state of confusion, while there are no missing persons, according to reports.
An investigation into the causes of the accident has already begun, with particular attention to the observance of safety conditions for the workers who were performing maintenance work.
A welding machine and all technical components that may be useful for the investigations were confiscated by the authorities.
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