Oracle imp crashes without error
Maybe an error appears in the target database's alert log?  Run this:

SQL&gt; show parameter background_dump_dest


...and go to the directory given to check the alert_&lt;SID&gt;.log.  Or do a trace of the imp session in the target database instance.  (Usually the errors appear in the exp / imp output themselves (saved to a log with LOG=log_file.log ) but I assume the export ran file with no warnings and completes with):

"Export terminated successfully without warnings."


When you are copying the file, are you sure it's not getting corrupted somehow? (md5sum remains the same)
Did you try importing into an empty schema so you don't have to set IGNORE=Y? 
And when you wrote:


  The problem persists with rows=N and with only selected tables from this schema. 



Did you mean no matter which one or two tables you choose, it still crashes?
Try simulating an import with SHOW=Y?