A 49-year-old seafarer has died with Covid-19 in France three weeks after his vessel was hit by an outbreak.
Five crew members from the 63,000-dwt Nord Sunda (built 2019) were taken to hospital when the Norden-chartered ultramax bulker diverted to Le Havre on 30 June.
The Filipino chief engineer died on 16 July in intensive care at the Jacques Monod hospital, Le Marin reported.
Two colleagues had also been admitted to intensive care with severe symptoms.
The vessel had a crew of 20, of whom 14 tested positive.
The six Filipino seafarers that tested negative were flown home in early July after receiving a Janssen single-dose vaccine in Le Havre.
Repatriation of the others was subject to them obtaining a negative PCR test.
Five more had been sent home by 18 July, according to ship agent AGSM Sealogis.
Crew replaced
The Nord Sunda left port on 10 July with a new crew, bound for Dunkirk, its original destination.
The vessel had been en route from Liberia with a cargo of iron ore.
Denmark's Norden referred TradeWinds' request for further information to ship manager Filteam Shipmanagement and owner Grace Ocean, which brokers list as part of Mitsui & Co.
Mitsui told TradeWinds it does not own the ship, however. Filteam has been contacted for comment.
Norden had earlier expressed its deep concern over the outbreak of Covid-19 on the ship.
