Rescuers yesterday morning recovered the bodies of two crew members of an Iranian oil tanker that has been on fire since colliding with a freighter last week in the East China Sea.
The bodies were found on the lifeboat deck of the Sanchi, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said.
Rescuers stayed aboard less than 30 minutes, but were able to recover the ship’s data and video recordings, CCTV said, adding that rescuers were prevented from entering the crew living quarters by temperatures as high as 89°C.
Footage of the rescue showed parts of the Sanchi still aflame, its hull and superstructure completely stripped of paint.
Authorities were concerned that the ship could explode and sink, but there was yesterday no word on such a possibility.
The cause of the collision remained unclear.
One body was recovered from the sea earlier this week, leaving 29 crew members still unaccounted for. The crew was all Iranian expect for two Bangladeshis.
Thirteen ships, including one from South Korea and two from Japan, were yesterday engaged in the rescue and cleanup effort, spraying foam in an effort to extinguish the fire.
The tanker was carrying a cargo of nearly 1 million barrels of condensate, a type of gassy, ultra-light oil that readily evaporates or burns off in a fire, reducing the chance of a major oil spill.
Intense flames, bad weather and poor visibility have all hampered rescue efforts.
The Chinese freighter CF Crystal, which collided with the Panamanian-registered tanker, had 21 crew members on board, who were all reported to be safe.
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