Pinoy killed in ship explosion off Saudi Arabia

A Filipino was killed in the explosion that hit a Liberian-flagged vessel off Jubail in Saudi Arabia last week, a Saudi-based news site reported on Monday.   Arab News reported that all the 25 crewmembers of the ship "Stolt Valor" were Filipinos. The 24 crewmembers who survived the explosion were brought to the Bahraini capital of Manama.   Stolt Tankers B.V. is a subsidiary of Stolt-Nielsen Limited and operators and owners of the "Stolt Valor."    Khaled Al-Arqubi, a spokesman for the Saudi Coast Guard Command in the Eastern Province, confirmed the death of the Filipino.   The fatality and the rescued Filipinos were not named in the report. Al-Arqubi said the Saudi Coast Guard is helping to cool the external body of the ship with fire hoses. "We want to prevent any leakage of chemicals into the seawater,” he said.   Earlier reports said the US Navy received a distress call from the vessel while it was in the international waters.   As the chemical tanker caught fire in international waters, Al-Arqubi said the shipowner — Stolt Tankers B.V. — will have to take all legal responsibility. - VVP, GMA News