At least 20 dead, 5 missing after cargo ship catches fire in China port, state media says
Summary
A cargo ship docked for repairs at a Chinese port caught fire, killing at least 20 people and leaving five missing, state media said Thursday. The fire broke out at Beihai Shipbuilding Co. in Qingdao, and the vessel was identified as the Liberia-flagged Ocean Melody. Twelve people were evacuated, and five injured crew members were hospitalized in stable condition. The blaze started around 11 a.m. and was extinguished by 2:30 p.m. local time.
Key Facts
- A total of 42 people were on the vessel, according to Xinhua.
- Twelve people were safely evacuated from the ship.
- Five injured people were taken to the hospital and remained in stable condition.
- The fire started around 11 a.m. Thursday and was extinguished by 2:30 p.m. local time.
- Xi Jinping issued important instructions to urgently conduct rescues of missing people, and Li Qiang called for trapped people to be rescued.
A drone view shows an LNG tanker unloading liquefied natural gas at a Sinopec terminal in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, Sept. 3. Reuters-Yonhap
BEIJING — A cargo ship docked for repairs in a Chinese port caught fire, killing at least 20 people and leaving five others missing, Chinese state media reported Thursday.
The ship was being repaired in the Beihai Shipbuilding Co. at the port of Qingdao, a major shipping hub on the northeastern Chinese coast. A photo released by Xinhua news agency identified the ship as the Ocean Melody, which sails under a Liberian flag, according to the tracking website VesselFinder.
A total of 42 people had been on the vessel, and 12 of them were safely evacuated, Xinhua reported. Five were injured and taken to the hospital, and they remained in a stable condition.
The fire started around 11 a.m. Thursday and was extinguished by 2:30 p.m. local time. Videos online showed workers on the ship attempting to put out the fire.
China’s President Xi Jinping issued “important instructions” to urgently conduct rescues of missing people on the ship, Xinhua said, adding that Premier Li Qiang called for “trapped” people to be rescued.
Xi also called for ensuring “preventive measures are thoroughly implemented” and “resolutely prevent major and catastrophic accidents.”
Beihai Shipbuilding is part of the state-controlled China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the world’s largest shipbuilder. Its main businesses include shipbuilding and ship repairing, according to Beihai Shipbuilding’s website.
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