On 21 March 2006, the vessel was en route from ports in China and Singapore through the Gulf of Aden about 60 miles (97 km) south of the coast of Yemen.

Around 1235 UTC, an explosion of unknown origin occurred below deck, aft of the accommodation, causing 60 to 90 containers to fall into the ocean.

Photos of the blazing ship showed a large section of the hull had been blown out below deck but above the waterline on the port side.

[4] According to a statement to the US House of Representatives Homeland Security Appropriations Committee, "The cause of the fire is believed to have been a container loaded with petroleum-based cleaning fluids stowed near the engine room.

[citation needed] In the course of the repairs the stern tube was confirmed to be nearly 100 mm lower than the main engine thrust sightline.

With the technical assistance of Tecnitas of Bureau Veritas and BF Consultant of France, the ship repair yard straightened the hull and brought the stern tube back in line, for it to be final machined at a later stage of the rebuilding of the vessel.