Chinese FM offers condolences over Iranian oil tanker tragedy

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday extended condolences to his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif over the death of all 30 of the Iranian sailors aboard an oil tanker that collided with another vessel and sank off China's east coast.

In a message to Zarif, Wang expressed deep condolences over the death of the Iranian sailors aboard the tanker Sanchi as well as sympathy toward their families.

Wang said China had done its utmost in the search and rescue operations carried out in close cooperation with Iran, and that it will maintain coordination with Iran in follow-up work.

The death of the Iranian sailors was announced days after the Panama-registered tanker and the Hong Kong-registered CF Crystal bulk freighter collided in waters about 300 km east of the Yangtze River estuary on Jan. 6.

The tanker, carrying 136,000 tons of gas condensates and other oils, caught fire after the collision. It sank on Sunday after burning for eight days.

Thirty-two crew members aboard the Sanchi went missing. Three bodies, including two of Bangladeshi citizens, have been recovered.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency