World · World News Bureau
Twenty-five dead in cargo ship fire off eastern China coast
A devastating fire aboard a cargo vessel operating in waters off eastern China has claimed the lives of 25 crew members. Rescue operations managed to evacuate 17 of the 42 people who were on board at the time of the incident.
LSN World News ·
The cargo ship caught fire in eastern Chinese waters, triggering an emergency response that saved roughly 40 percent of those aboard. State broadcaster CCTV reported that rescue teams successfully evacuated 17 crew members from the stricken vessel, while 25 others perished in the blaze.
The exact circumstances that led to the outbreak of fire remained unclear in initial reports. Authorities did not immediately release details about the ship's identity, route, or cargo manifest, nor did they provide information about the nationalities of those on board.
China's maritime authorities have not disclosed whether the vessel sank following the incident or if salvage operations were being considered. The death toll makes this one of the deadliest maritime incidents in the region in recent years.
Investigations into the cause of the fire and the response procedures followed by the crew are expected to commence once rescue and recovery operations are completed. Maritime safety officials have been alerted to review safety protocols for cargo operations in the area.