Fire of submerged oil tanker off Shanghai coast extinguished

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Cleanup efforts for the Sanchi oil tanker has begun after the flames on the Panama-registered ship off the coast of Shanghai were extinguished on Monday.

The fire was extinguished at 9:58 BJT (1:58 GMT), while the cleanup started soon afterward.

The Shanghai maritime search and rescue center decided to terminate the large-scale search and rescue operation at noon on Monday.

A strip of leaked oil 10 nautical miles long and one to four nautical miles wide was spotted east of the ship.

The State Oceanic Administration is now trying to specify the area of the spill and its consequences.

The environmental impact of the sinking of the oil tanker, which carries about 136,000 tons of light crude oil, needs further assessment.

In a regular press conference on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said it is a heartbreaking consequence that all of 32 crew members had died within one hour after the collision due to the blast and the release of toxic gas.

The oil tanker Sanchi collided with CF Crystal, a Hong Kong-registered bulk freighter, about 160 nautical miles east of the Yangtze River estuary in Shanghai, on Jan. 6. It finally sank on Sunday at a location about 151 nautical miles southeast of where the collision had occurred.

Iranian friends and relatives of the oil tanker Sanchi's crew members cry after hearing news of its sinking, January 14, 2018.

Immediately after the collision, China dispatched several vessels to the scene for search and rescue operations. On Saturday, a Chinese rescue team of four people got on board the burning vessel, bringing back two bodies of the crew and Sanchi's voyage data recorder.

Lu said China's efforts have been highly recognized by the Iranian side.

In his remark, Lu extended condolences to the dead and expressed sympathies to the families of the victims, saying China is willing to keep communication with Iran and offer help in follow-up affairs.

The spokesman also extended his gratitude to rescue team for their bravery and professionalism.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation.