What Crew Members Say About Gt-Win

On May 19, 2026, Tien Manh, former chief officer of the 'GT Win', was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison after pleading guilty to a rash act that led to the tragic death of Vietnamese crew member Hoang Van Chau. The incident occurred when Chau, aged 40, succumbed to exposure to volatile hydrocarbons after falling unconscious within a tank intended for naphtha gas transport. Manh admitted to providing false information to public authorities, further complicating the investigation. The 'GT Win', which was docked in Singapore, was involved in a grim sequence of events on May 14, 2024, when Manh instructed Chau and three colleagues to clean tanks that had not been assessed and declared gas-free. Despite knowing the dangers, he permitted the use of a substandard modified self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for this hazardous task. Tragically, this decision contributed to Chau's fatal exposure. In February, Nguyen Duc Nghi, the 50-year-old captain of the 'GT Win' during the event, received a sentence of one year and two months for obstructing justice. He had instructed his crew to provide misleading information to law enforcement following the death of Mr. Chau. Additionally, Le Thanh Dung, then 36 years old and a pump master on the vessel, was sentenced to three months and two weeks in July 2025 for modifying SCBA masks, fully aware of their unsuitability for the cleaning operation. The 'GT Win' had traveled from Thailand to Singapore with a load of naphtha gas in May 2024. After the cargo unloading at a terminal on Jurong Island, the tanker anchored at Raffles Reserved Anchorage. Manh's responsibility involved checking oxygen levels in the tanks before any cleaning could take place. However, he directed Dung to alter the SCBA masks, connecting them to a deck air supply due to space limitations, a modification that proved to be catastrophic. On that fateful May day, at approximately 4:40 p.m., Manh instructed Chau to enter the tank equipped with the modified breathing apparatus. Shortly after starting work, Chau fell unconscious and was later recovered but declared dead at Marina South Pier around 10:40 p.m. In the aftermath, Dung showed Nghi the unsafe SCBA mask used by Chau, leading Nghi to dispose of it into the sea. He further coerced the crew to lie to the police about the conditions surrounding the incident, suggesting it occurred in a gas-free tank. Days later, Manh himself misled investigation officers, claiming Chau had entered a safe tank before falling unconscious. It wasn’t until police confronted him on May 23, 2024, that he confessed to the lies he had told, allowing for preliminary gas samples to be collected from the accurate site. His arrest followed in May 2025, marking a tragic chapter in the maritime industry's ongoing commitment to safety.

In a significant maritime legal case, the Singaporean judiciary has handed down a 14-month prison sentence to Nguyen Duc Nghi, a 50-year-old Vietnamese captain of the tanker 'GT Win.' The sentence comes after Nghi confessed to providing false statements regarding a tragic incident that claimed the life of a crew member in May 2024. This incident occurred while the ship was engaged in cleaning operations of its tanks after docking in Singapore on May 11, 2024, with a cargo of naphtha. During the operation, the chief officer reportedly directed three crew members to clean the gas tanks without ensuring proper safety protocols, particularly the vital task of checking oxygen levels. It was additionally noted that the chief officer had made inappropriate modifications to a breathing apparatus, which prosecutors described as “impractical” due to the limited space at the staircase where it was used. The victim, Hoang Van Chau, lost consciousness while working inside one of the tanks, leading to attempts at resuscitation by the crew and a subsequent call for emergency medical help. Unfortunately, Chau was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital due to exposure to dangerous volatile hydrocarbons. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Captain Nghi attempted to conceal the details of the incident from authorities, including the Singapore Police Force and the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore. He discussed the altered breathing apparatus with the vessel’s pump master, who disposed of the mask after Nghi's orders. Furthermore, the captain instructed crew members to provide misleading information to investigators, misleadingly claiming that Chau was discovered unconscious in the tank to secure insurance benefits for the victim’s family. On May 12, Nghi was placed under arrest, and as the investigation unfolded, crew members revealed the accurate account of the incident. Confronted by police, Nghi acknowledged his deceit and the instructions he had given the crew to misinform authorities, equating his actions to insurance fraud. The case continues to unfold, particularly regarding the chief officer, Dao Tien Manh, whose trial remains ongoing.

In a tragic turn of events, the Public Prosecutor in Singapore has taken legal action against the master, chief officer, and pump master of the chemical tanker 'GT Win', following the death of crew member Hoang Van Chau on May 11, 2024. The incident occurred when Chau entered a tank that had not undergone proper venting and inspection. On July 2, 2025, the pump master, Le Thanh Dung, admitted guilt to charges related to endangering Chau's life. After offloading a cargo of naphtha, the 'GT Win' relocated to the Singapore anchorage. Here, chief officer Dao Tien Manh ordered three crew members, including Chau, to commence cleaning operations on the emptied tanks. However, Manh neglected to verify oxygen levels and failed to complete essential safety checks prior to their entry. Additionally, he directed Dung to modify the breathing apparatus mask inappropriately—connecting the mask's hose to an air bottle on deck, a decision deemed impractical by prosecutors due to space constraints at the staircase. Tragically, while working in tank 6, Chau lost consciousness. It was later revealed that he had entered this tank, which had not been confirmed as gas-free, instead of the designated tank 4. Crew members attempted CPR and called for emergency medical services, but Chau was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, with the cause of death attributed to exposure to volatile hydrocarbons. In his testimony, Dung confessed to providing false information in two written statements to investigators. He claimed to show the modified breathing mask to the vessel’s master, Nguyen Duc Nghi, who supposedly disposed of it into the sea and instructed the crew to mislead authorities, seeking to ensure that Chau’s family would receive insurance compensation. Ultimately, Dung has received a sentence of three months and two weeks in prison following his confession, while the cases against both the vessel's master and chief officer remain ongoing in Singapore's courts.

In an exciting auction event, a vessel was successfully sold for $7 million to buyers from India. This transaction not only highlights the growing interest of Indian investors in maritime assets but also demonstrates the competitive nature of the current auction market. With a focus on enhancing their shipping capabilities, these buyers are making significant strides in expanding their fleets.

In a significant development, 12 out of the 18 crew members aboard the detained vessel 'Queen Helena' have successfully returned to India as of July 23, 2019. The remaining six sailors will continue their stay on the ship until the owner's outstanding financial obligations are resolved. The 'Queen Helena', operated by Rigel Marine Private Services, was apprehended by the National Bank of Fujairah due to financial difficulties facing its owner, marking the vessel's arrest that began on April 3.