Of the 42 people on board the ship, 12 were evacuated, and five were hospitalized due to injuries, their condition is stable, reported the state broadcaster CCTV.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping called for urgent search and rescue operations.
“A foreign cargo ship, owned by Beihai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., located in Qingdao city, Shandong province, caught fire in the port during maintenance work, resulting in many casualties,” said the state news agency Xinhua.
Xi Jinping “emphasized the need to urgently search for missing persons (…) and strictly hold those responsible accountable,” it added.
20 people died
Xinhua did not specify the number of casualties or the cause of the fire. The state broadcaster CGTN later reported that 20 people died. There were 42 people on the ship Ocean Melody.
State media reported that the fire broke out at about 11:15 local time (6:15 Lithuanian time). It is unclear whether it has been extinguished.
Premier Li Qiang also called for searching and rescuing trapped people and providing medical assistance to the injured, “and strictly preventing secondary disasters.”
Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding is an important shipyard operating as a division of China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
Xi Jinping warned that “all regions and relevant institutions must learn from this incident, thoroughly investigate and eliminate all possible fire hazards.”
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