Burning Iranian oil tanker sinks off China after collision, report says

An Iranian oil tanker has sunkafter burning for more than a week following a collision on Jan.6 in the East China Sea, Chinese state media said on Sunday,adding that large amounts of oil were burning in the surroundingwaters.

The stricken tanker, called the Sanchi, whichhad been adrift and on fire following the accident with thefreighter CF Crystal, had "suddenly ignited" around noon local time, China Central Television (CCTV) said.

Oil tanker ablaze off Chinese coast

7 years ago

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Ship's crew missing as authorities try to contain fires

"Currently it has already sunk," CCTV said, citing theShanghai maritime search and rescue centre. It showed video of atower of billowing black smoke that it said reached as high as1,000 metres, and flames on the surface of the water. The shipsank before 5 p.m. local time,the broadcaster said.

China's State Oceanic Administration said that because thehull of the ship had detonated, a large amount of oil insurrounding waters was on fire, according to the official Xinhuanews agency.

The administration said it would expand the scope of itsmonitoring and "quickly ascertain the spread and drift ofoverflowing oil" from the wrecked ship.

Crew, passengers presumed dead

A Chinese salvage team on Saturday recovered two bodies fromthe tanker. Another body, presumed to be one of the Sanchi'ssailors, was found on Monday and brought to Shanghai foridentification.

The Sanchi's crew consisted of 30 Iranians and twoBangladeshis.

Iranian officials said the remaining 29 crew members andpassengers of the tanker were presumed dead. Iranian PresidentHassan Rouhani sent messages of condolence to the families ofthe crew and called for an investigation into the accident,Iranian state media reported.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier told his Iraniancounterpart MohammadJavadZarifby telephone that "as long asthere is one per centof hope, China will continue to make 100per cent effort" to rescue and recover the crew.

• Burning oil tanker in danger of exploding off China; 1 dead, 31 missing

The tanker, owned by National Iranian Tanker Co., wascarrying almost onemillion barrels of condensate, an ultra-lightcrude oil, to South Korea.

It collided with the CF Crystal, which wascarrying grain from the United States, about 160 nautical miles(184 kilometres) off China's coast near Shanghai.