The Venpet–Venoil collision was a maritime accident involving sister supertankers; the Liberian-registered Venoil and Venpet, in dense fog off the coast of South Africa on 16 December 1977.

[3] Both tankers were constructed in Nagasaki, Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd, work beginning on the Venoil in October 1972 and the Venpet in January 1973.

Under dense fog, which reduced visibility to less than 370 metres (1,210 ft),[10] both ships manoeuvred in the same direction in an attempt to increase their distance from one another and avoid collision.

[6] Both vessels caught fire, but did not explode because of their inert gas systems – the flames rising 61 metres (200 ft) into the air and the resulting smoke visible for up to 24 kilometres (15 mi) around.

[12] The collision occurred approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) off the southern coast of South Africa between Plettenberg Bay and Cape St. Francis.

[13] The majority of the crew aboard the Venoil managed to launch a lifeboat; although thirteen men who had been trapped by the flames were rescued by helicopter.

[4] Two British merchant ships, the bulk carrier Jedforest and the Clan Menzies rescued the remaining crews of the Venoil and Venpet respectively.

[13] The official investigation published in November 1985 by the Liberian marine board concluded that the collision was caused due to not maintaining a proper radar watch.