
The PLATYPUS Adventure
By: Adelino L. Masigla, Chief Officer “LSCO Platypus”
(The names of the characters were purposely omitted to protect the interest of the persons involved in this true to life story)
I joined the Motor Tanker “LSCO Platypus” in October 3, 1970 while she was undergoing conversion job from combo to full
tanker at a dry dock in Iloilo City. Everything was on a rush and jobs on board the old ship seemed to pile up one after the other
as the repairs were going on. By Dec 11, 1970 with the extensive welding works on deck and piping system inside cargo tanks
yet to be finished, we sailed off for Japan to pick up cargo leaving the works on the double bottom of all the center tanks practical
ly untouched.
Unusually, on board were three captains, one supposed to be in command, the other who was insisting to be in command and
another as owner’s representative representing the Marine Department who acted as if he was in command. Likewise on
board was another owners’ representative acting in behalf of the Bulk Oil Department. To aggravate the situation, also on board
were two chief engineers, one acting and the other in charge of engine repair. The former who has been on board for several
years was insisting for two spare cylinder liners to no avail no matter what justification he made. I called them as “Team-A” of
the ship. On the other hand there were four deck officers, me as the chief mate, a second mate, a senior third mate and a junior
third mate, at least these kept me off from navigation duty.
We had a show of first organizational conflict during our maneuvers to shift from the dry dock to the anchorage when two of the
captains were giving entirely opposite commands. With this, I foresaw more problems to come.
While underway, welding jobs continued 24 hours daily with four welding machines alternately running. Since nobody acted as
repair supervisor on deck, I, being the chief officer took charge and worked closely with the welders and monitored every inch of
the job.
Just before dawn on our second day with rough seas while in the vicinity of Batanes Island (North of Luzon) we had our first
engine breakdown. One of the cylinder liner of the main engine developed a crack. As the vessel swung from side to side with
the waves the engineers endeavored to slowly replace the same with an old reconditioned spare. By 2100H the following night,
a sister ship, motor tug “Stanford” was on standby at the vicinity. Before noon of the following day the repair was completed and
the voyage resumed at reduced rpm.
The hot works were barely finished when we arrived Iwakuni, Japan after 12 days at sea to load "hi-octane" cargo for discharge
at Pusan, Korea. Everything went fine however during unloading at Pusan, except for the double bottom tanks under tank 3-
center which was found to be seeped with over 500 barrels of hi-octane products, trapped and cannot be pumped out. The
problem became difficult for Team-A to resolve a workable solution as no one seemed acceptable to preside over discussions.
After individually talking with each of Team-A members, I was able to persuade and we decided to retrieve the trapped products
and affect necessary repairs. I drafted a working plan that was endorsed by Mr. Bulk Oil representative and later approved by
the Team-A. I called the plan "Impossible Dream" which Mr. Bulk Oil representative very well agreed. As per plan, the vessel
moved out of port limits where I started gas freeing cargo tanks 2P, 2C and 2S, this was followed by 3P, 3C and 3S and finally
4P, 4C and 4S. Tanks 5, 6 & 7 were not affected therefore were hosed down only then installed with wind sails to reduce gas
concentration. Double bottom tanks except DB #3 were likewise hosed down.
For at least 30 hours the tank cleaning went through except for one double bottom and we then returned to the anchorage to
further the gas freeing and conduct repairs.
Another 6 hours later at the anchorage my two portable gas testing equipment showed that the tanks were all safe for entry of
personnel. Together with one of the deck officer I then visually inspected each tank space and took some notes. Back in the
mess hall where some of the Team A members were waiting I reported my findings and gave recommendations which they
readily approved. To release the trapped cargo I was to select the weakest points on the bulkhead of the double bottom in way
of tanks 3P and 3S and with about 2 feet of water shall punch a hole the lowest I can below water level. I started with tank 3S
and using a suitable lever made nearly an inch and a half diameter hole without difficulty. The hi-octane begun oozing out from
the double bottom. We quickly vacated tank 3S.
Tank 3P was not as easy as tank 3S, we were not able to find a weak spot, meanwhile we concentrated on draining though
tank 3S by water pushing and transferring to accumulate the drained product to tank 7S using the stripper pump. After retrieving
about 500 barrels or so we shifted along side berth and discharged the cargo to the consignee’s shore tank. Thus the first part
of the "Impossible Dream" was through.
Back on the anchorage we resumed gas freeing the affected double bottom tank by pumping in sea water and draining out to
2S. The process continued for several hours until the tanks were found safe for hot works. The punched hole was then made
bigger using a welding torch and permanently welded with a 3-inch gate valve.
The following day the work was shifted to tank 3P. The usual gas testing, a standard operating procedure, was taken before the
work started each morning and every hour on the hour thereafter. In my presence inside the tank, hot work started by cutting
several the left over staging that were previously used when the vessel was in dry dock. About four feet of sea water was
maintained on the bottom of the tanks. At 1200 hours the welders and I knocked off for lunch break. The work was resumed at
1300 hours after gas testing was found okay. By 1500 hours during coffee break as scheduled, another gas testing and still
found okay. While the repair team was on break, the deck officer on duty was instructed to transfer the sea water from tank 3P to
tank 7P to expose the double bottom bulkhead for cutting hole and installation of 3 inch gate valve similar to that of 3S.
By 1520 hours the welder and I were back inside tank 3P and about to start to cut the last of the left over staging. As soon as the
cutting torch were lit a loud high pitched hizzing sound filled the inside tank and in split second I grabbed both welders and
pushed them to jump on to the water with me closely behind. As we touched the water I held on their heads and kept them
below water level not realising that mine was partly exposed then at that position while I was keeping their heads down a loud
deafening bang followed. Fearing another explosion I pushed hard to keep their heads and body in the water for one or two
seconds until I lose grasp and they both rushed to the steel ladder and climbed out of the manhole. I tried to follow but as I
moved towards the ladder but the lack of oxygen made me unconscious and I fell back on the cold water. I must have been in
that condition for few minutes, numbed, deaf, blind and with no sense of direction. Gradually then, as I regained faintly of my
eye sight I saw nothing but thick white clouds. Moments later, along the thick white clouds came very slowly a light ray followed
by another and another. Am I in Heaven, I thought. Few more moments my sense of touch slowly returned and I felt a sort of
stair. I then asked my self—Is this the stairway to Heaven? I held on the steps and gradually climbed up. Yes, I thought the
steps leads to where the light rays were coming from. As I gained elevation I started hearing faint voices. Ah, I said, those
maybe are of the angels. By the time my hands came out of what I thought was the doorway to Heaven, the voices suddenly
stopped and as my head surfaced I was able to inhale fresh air. Though still dizzy I completely regained consciousness. “I am
still alive” --I said to my self.
The truth of the matter was that the deck in way of the affected tank bulged out by nearly a foot and anyone caught inside during
the explosion would had been a goner or at the least suffer extreme head concoction. Naturally, when only the welders came
out of the tank right after the explosion, everyone thought that I was gone. During the explosion my head was half submerged
as I kept the welders’ heads under water therefore I suffered more than them. Because of the explosion all the oxygen content
inside the tank was converted to carbon monoxide that became thick heavy clouds and made me more dizzy until I surfaced the
main deck. The light rays were due to the afternoon sun that gradually penetrated the clouds as it thined off. As I surfaced out of
the manhole, everyone on deck was shocked, astounded and thunderstruck to see me alive, no one was able to assist me
even when I walked the deck up towards my cabin.
After the incident Mr Bulk Oil representative officially declared his superiority over Team-A with full authority representing the
ships owner and presided over all the discussions, scolded the Team-A members for not satisfactory cooperating considering
that no one among them had ever stepped on deck with profound attention over the works, much more no one dared inside the
tank, to personally supervise. Finally, Team A decided to forego the repairs in tank 3P since the valve fitted in 3S was sufficient
enough. However as a result of the incident the two captains as well as the repair engineer were paid off and sent home.
Further repairs were done on the suspected cracks and after satisfactory hydro test the LSCO Platypus sailed back to Iwakuni,
Japan at reduced speed, reloaded similar product then sailed for Melbourne, Australia.
In port Melbourne, as expected, we had the same seepage problem. However, another problem cropped out. While
discharging hi-octane to International Oil Company depot we found out that the spindle leading to the deck of the stripper valve
in tank 3S went loose and there was no other way to pump off the product down to floor level. Due to this the tank cannot be gas
freed for safe entry of personnel and therefore can not open the drain valves connecting the double bottom that was installed at
Pusan and this double bottom tank has more than 500 barrels hi-octane trapped. There was no other way to complete the
discharging operation except to open both valves from the inside of the tank that was partially loaded waist deep with hi-octane
product. The ship’s agent in port was asked to find some one who can enter the loaded tank. They searched among oil
industry, the fire department and emergency squad of the city but no one dared to accept the challenge. Finally, all eyes were
focused on me. There was no other option and I have to do the job but under the watch and using the emergency back pack of
the city’s fire department. After several hours of planning and rehearsing every detail of the operation as supervised by the fire
marshal, the extra special job was set to start at 0800 of the next morning.
At 0630 hours the second mate, who shall be my assistant, and I took a very light meal together. As we were taking coffee his
face looked pale and seemed to be worried to enter a tank partly loaded with hi-octane. He reminded me about the Pusan
incident. I told him that he can still back out if he wished to but consider that he will be closer the manhole watching over me at
the bottom of the tank working along the hi-octane, his job is to give the appropriate signal to those outside the manhole in
event that something unusual happens to me. "If I won't do it, who else will? And you are here to assist me complete this
impossible dream." I believed those words rekindled his motivation and by 0730 hours we went down the main deck and found
the vips of the port at the ship’s side together with the city's fire marshal who was in complete uniform. On standby were two
ambulances with paramedics and three big fire trucks, a couple of foam tanks and support vehicles. The president of the cargo
consignee, the vice president of our company who flew in direct from Manila to witness the event were around. Also on hand
were several media reporters and the full force of the ports emergency squad. What a day, I said as we put on our respective
back packs assisted by the members of the city's fire department. As we were testing the main and secondary breathing
apparatus, the company vice president was telling me something but I pretended not to hear him. As planned we had a final
rehearsal of our signals then the moment we both gave each other the A-OKAY sign an atmosphere of silence suddenly
prevailed all around.
At 0800 H I stepped inside the manhole and started climbing down the stairs. Twelve steps away while I was on the first
landing the second mate followed. While I tried to conserve my air tank, I heard him breathed too deep consuming so much air.
I continued my slow and careful descend occasionally signaling the A-OKAY sign until I reached the product level. Slowly and
ensuring each step were on the right safe position. I knew very well where the valve was, it’s about twenty feet away from the
last step of the stairs close to the aft corner of the tank, I moved over the tanks beam with knee deep product then once at the
vicinity I carefully stepped down the floors with the waist deep hi-octane, gave a check over the hoses and life lines to ensure
they don’t get snagged. This time I was swimming in a pool of hi-octane. Suddenly, I felt the penetrating and burning sensation
on my skin specially on my private parts. This thing had just started to eat me out, then my heart beat faster. I was motionless
for a while thought of reasons why I was doing this very dangerous thing but with a deep breath I regained myself. Slowly and
yet very slowly I submerged my body to reach for the valve and still very slowly turned the valve to full open. Then with my
working clothes soaked with hi-octane I climbed up the beam and walked towards the stairs. I signaled the second mate to
ascend as I slowly climbed the stairs. Once I was completely outside the manhole I heard the people clapped their hands. I
was assisted in taking off the back pack then my whole body was hosed down as planned to reduce the product concentration.
I then went to take shower in my cabin.
By 1700 H all cargo tanks including the affected double bottoms were certified stripped dry. At about 1830H the second mate
and I were fetched by the consignee president and treated with a very special dinner.
The following day the vessel sailed out for sea outside of Melbourne and did tank cleaning to prepare to load tallow which took
us at least sixteen hours. By the time we’re back and after tank surveys we proceeded to load full tank tallow at Melbourne for
Nagoya, Japan discharge.
We left Melbourne in due time, however after few days at sea another cylinder liner of the main engines developed crack and
we entered limping the Port Kembla, Australia for emergency repairs. The cracked spares were shipped out and transported to
the repair shops. We stayed in port for at least a week. After repairs, we resumed voyage to Nagoya, Japan.
By May of 1971, LSCO Platypus was back in Manila where I disembarked for shore job assignment at Salvage Department
office.
§



Chief Officer A. Masigla
On deck 2 days prior to explosion.
Click image to enlarge
LSCO PLATYPUS deck 2 days
prior to explosion. Click image
to enlarge
TRUE TO LIFE STORY
masigla.com