Breaking: An Iranian-owned tanker has collided with a cargo ship in East China Sea, leaving 32 people missing
Tehran(KNA) : The collision occurred between the “Sanchi” tanker and the huge Hong Kong freighter “CF Crystal” in the East China Sea on Saturday at around 20:00 (12:00 GMT).
The tanker, which was carrying 136,000 tonnes of condensed oil for South Korea, "caught fire," according to the ministry's statement.
Reports said 30 Iranian and two Bangladeshi sailors went missing in the collision.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) later on Sunday cited an Iranian official as confirming that the tanker was Iranian but was leased by a Korean firm.
Kasra Nouri, the director of public relations at the Iranian Ministry of Petroleum, was cited by IRNA as saying that the vessel was owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company and had had its cargo loaded on behalf of the Korean firm, the Hanwha Total Petrochemical.
Nouri said most of the crew on board the tanker were Iranian but added that the Ministry of Petroleum had the details.
IRNA said that all crew members on board the tanker were said to have been killed in the incident, without providing a source.
Source: Press TV