The
Atlantic Empress was a large crude oil carrier built at the
Odense Staalskibsværft shipyard in
Odense, Denmark, and launched on 16 February 1974. At the time of her sinking, she was owned by the South Gulf Shipping Company of Greece, and
flagged in Liberia. In heavy rain and thick fog the two ships did not see each other until they were apart.
Aegean Captain changed course, but it was too late; at 7:15 p.m, the two ships collided, with the
Empress tearing a hole in the
Captains starboard bow. Large fires began on each ship, which were soon beyond the control of the crews, who abandoned their ships. The remaining crew from both ships were taken to Tobago for medical treatment, while the
Empresss captain was transported to a hospital in Texas, having inhaled fire. and the German Bugsier, managed by a Salvage inspector of Smit International, attempted to control the fire aboard
Empress, and contain the spreading oil slick. Two tugs (one of them being the
Smit Zwarte Zee) towed the burning ship further out to sea. ==See also==