Fire breaks out on cargo ship in China, at least 20 people killed
A fire broke out at the port of Qingdao in eastern China aboard the international cargo ship Ocean Melody, which was undergoing repairs. At least 20 people were killed and another five are missing, Euronews reports, citing Chinese state media.
There were 42 people aboard the ship
According to Xinhua, there were 42 people aboard the ship, some of whom were evacuated. The fire began at around 11:15 a.m. local time, or 03:15 GMT. At the time of reporting, it was unknown whether the fire had been fully extinguished.
A photo distributed by the state news agency Xinhua identified the vessel as Ocean Melody. According to the VesselFinder ship-tracking service, it sails under the Liberian flag.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Search for the missing
The vessel was undergoing repairs at the Beihai Shipbuilding Co. shipyard in the port of Qingdao, a major shipping hub on China’s northeastern coast. Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an urgent search and rescue operation for the missing people. Premier Li Qiang called for finding and rescuing people who were trapped, providing medical assistance to the injured, and preventing secondary emergencies. Xi Jinping also called on regions and relevant authorities to thoroughly inspect and eliminate all types of fire risks.
