A fire broke out on a Maltese-registered tanker yesterday afternoon when it was around 16km off the Irish coast.

The fire broke out at around 2pm and although it was contained by crew members, the vessel’s engines could not be restarted.

The vessel, the West Sailor, a chemical tanker, was about 16km off Brandon Head, Co. Kerry when the fire broke out.

The West Sailor is registered in Malta and is operated by Vestland Marine of Poland. It was built in 1981 by Batservice Verft, Mandal, Norway.

The vessel was delivering a cargo of sulphuric acid to Aughinish Alumina plant on the Shannon Estuary.