The "Um El-Faroud" was built in England in 1969 and delivered to a company in Tripoli. Until February 1995 the tanker was carrying refined fuel between Italy and Libya. In February 1995 the vessel called in to Malta for repairs and in the night of February 3. an explosion occurred in tank no. 3, killing 9 yard workers. The structural damage was as much to leaf the ship beyond economical repairs.

---