Iranian tanker will burn for a month in the East China Sea

The tanker carried 136 thousand tons of highly flammable condensate oil. The fear is that it will explode or sink polluting the environment. One corpse recovered; another 31 sailors are missing.


Hong Kong (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Iranian tanker that collided with a cargo in the East China Sea could burn for a whole month according to the Seoul Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries in in a statement published today.

Four days ago, the Sanchi oil tanker was hit by a Chinese ship 300 km east of Shanghai and has since burned in the ocean. 31 sailors of the crew are still missing and one corpse has been found. Dozens of Chinese and South Korean ships are engaged in the search, fighting against strong winds, very high waves and the poisonous fumes that arise from the fire.

The Sanchi transported 136 thousand tons of highly flammable condensed oil, worth 60 million US dollars. The fear is that the ship will explode, or sink, polluting the whole area.

The Chinese ministry of transport said yesterday that so far there is no trace of large oil spills on the surface of the sea.