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China tanker fire: Bodies found as Sanchi burns, one week on | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Salvage workers have managed to board a burning oil tanker off China's coast, recovering the bodies of two crewmen before smoke forced them to leave. | Salvage workers have managed to board a burning oil tanker off China's coast, recovering the bodies of two crewmen before smoke forced them to leave. |
The Sanchi is still ablaze one week after a collision with a cargo ship. | The Sanchi is still ablaze one week after a collision with a cargo ship. |
The salvage team also recovered the ship's "black box" recording unit. | The salvage team also recovered the ship's "black box" recording unit. |
The bodies of only three of the 32 crewmen - 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis - have so far been found. A team of Iranian commandos is joining the operation. | |
The tanker was sailing from Iran to South Korea at the time of the collision last Saturday evening. | |
Wind switch | Wind switch |
The Chinese transport ministry said "four rescuers equipped with masks and bottles of oxygen were placed on the deck at the back of the Sanchi with the help of a crane. | |
"They discovered the bodies of two sailors in a lifeboat." | |
It added: "After recovering the black box, the rescuers tried to reach the living areas. But the temperature reached 89C (192F) and they could not enter." | |
The rescue mission lasted only about an hour as a change in wind made it too dangerous to remain in the thick toxic smoke, state news agency Xinhua reported. | |
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif by phone that "as long as there is 1% hope, China will continue to make 100% effort". | |
Some 12 Iranian commandos are joining the operation but it is not known if they have yet reached the site. | |
Thirteen vessels - 10 Chinese, two Japanese and one South Korean - are taking part in the salvage operation but bad weather and the state of the Sanchi continue to hamper the work. | |
On Friday, a new explosion dashed hopes the fire might burn out. | On Friday, a new explosion dashed hopes the fire might burn out. |
The tanker has also been drifting south-eastwards from the collision point - 260km (160 miles) off Shanghai - towards the Japanese island of Amami Oshima. | |
The Japanese Coast Guard said on Friday it was about 290km off the island's coast and was drifting at about 2.2km/h. | The Japanese Coast Guard said on Friday it was about 290km off the island's coast and was drifting at about 2.2km/h. |
But Chinese officials say no large oil spill has been detected so far. | But Chinese officials say no large oil spill has been detected so far. |
The Sanchi had on board 136,000 tonnes of condensate, which is an ultra-light version of crude oil. | The Sanchi had on board 136,000 tonnes of condensate, which is an ultra-light version of crude oil. |
The Panama-flagged vessel was bringing the condensate from Iran to South Korea when the collision with the Hong Kong-registered freighter CF Crystal, carrying grain from the US, happened in the East China Sea. The crewmen of the Crystal were all rescued. | The Panama-flagged vessel was bringing the condensate from Iran to South Korea when the collision with the Hong Kong-registered freighter CF Crystal, carrying grain from the US, happened in the East China Sea. The crewmen of the Crystal were all rescued. |
The cause of the collision is still not known. | The cause of the collision is still not known. |
Condensate is very different from the black crude that is often seen in oil spills. | Condensate is very different from the black crude that is often seen in oil spills. |
It is toxic, low in density and considerably more explosive than regular crude. | It is toxic, low in density and considerably more explosive than regular crude. |
Condensate creates products such as jet fuel, petrol, diesel and heating fuel. | Condensate creates products such as jet fuel, petrol, diesel and heating fuel. |
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