32 missing as oil tanker collides with vessel off China coast

The Panama-registered oil tanker, carrying 136,000 tonnes of oil condensate, caught fire after it collided with a Hong Kong-registered bulk freighter at around 8 pm on Saturday, , the transport ministry said.

The collision took place in waters about 160 sea miles east of the Yangtze River's estuary.

The 32 missing crew members were all from the oil tanker. All of the bulk freighter’s 21 crew have been rescued, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Chinese maritime authorities have dispatched eight vessels for search and rescue.

After the coordination of China Maritime Search and Rescue Centre, South Korea has dispatched a coast guard ship and a fixed-wing aircraft to assist in the rescue operation, the report said. PTI/ AFP