Massive explosions on Sanchi oil tanker leave no hope for survivors

TEHRAN (defapress) – Following massive explosions on Iranian oil tanker Sanchi on Sun., an informed source at National Iranian Tanker Company has confirmed the death of all 32 crew members.

News ID: 68078

Date: 14 January 2018 - 13:02

The informed source who is a part of the crisis committee tasked with following up on the case of Sanchi oil tanker incident, and is currently in Port of Shanghai, said Sunday that today’s extensive explosions have left no hope or possibility for finding any crew members alive.

The Panama-registered Iranian oil tanker, Sanchi, with 32 crew members on board, caught on fire after colliding with a Hong Kong cargo ship on Jan. 6, 160 nautical miles (296 km) from China’s east coast.

On Saturday, two more bodies of the crew members were found and the ‘black box’ was retrieved. The first body had been found on Monday.

Iran had dispatched a team of army commandos and a delegation from the Parliament’s National Security Commission for search and rescue operations.

Toxic gases, smoke and fire had prevented rescuers to board the ablaze tanker in search of the missing crew.

According to CEO of Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran, two-third of the vessel has already sunken.

Fire has spread all over the vessel and it is impossible to board or even approach the tanker, he said.

He voiced strong possibility for the complete sinking of the tanker.