Dao Tien Manh, 32, the chief officer on the chemical tanker GT Win, was sentenced on May 19, 2026, to two years and nine months' jail after pleading guilty to rash act causing death and providing false information to authorities [1, 2, 3]. On May 14, 2024, Manh ordered four crew members, including 40-year-old Vietnamese seaman Hoang Van Chau, to clean tanks that were not declared gas-free at the Raffles Reserved Anchorage in Singapore [1, 2, 3]. Chau fell unconscious inside a naphtha gas tank and later died from exposure to volatile hydrocarbons [1, 2, 3].
Naphtha exposure can cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Deputy Public Prosecutor Joseph Gwee said Manh was responsible for checking oxygen levels and ensuring safety before cleaning. "If the tank was not declared gas-free, the crew members should not have entered the tank," he said [1]. Despite knowing the risks, Manh allowed the use of modified self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) masks that were unsafe [1, 2, 3]. He also lied twice to authorities to obstruct investigations [1, 2, 3].
Manh’s actions directly contributed to Chau's death inside the tank, which was used to transport naphtha gas. The chemical tanker had sailed from Thailand to Singapore in May 2024 and unloaded cargo at the Jurong Island terminal before anchoring for cleaning operations [1, 2, 3].
In related cases, Nguyen Duc Nghi, 50, the GT Win’s captain, was sentenced in February 2026 to one year and two months’ jail for instructing crew to lie about the incident and obstruct justice [1, 2, 3]. Le Thanh Dung, 36, the pump master, received a sentence of three months and two weeks in July 2025 for modifying unsafe SCBA masks used during tank cleaning [1, 2, 3].
The court continues to address safety and accountability within the maritime industry following the death of Hoang Van Chau. Manh’s sentencing marks the latest judicial step concluding the investigation into the 2024 chemical tanker incident.
