15 Rescued from Blazing Ship Off China

Photo: Location of Qingdao City (yellow) in Shandong province

Fifteen crewmen were rescued from a Panama-registered freighter after it erupted in flames off China’s east coast. Local maritime authorities reported that one crewmember was still aboard the blazing HUA SHAN.

None of the rescued 15 was hurt; all of the crewmen are South Korean. The freighter was carrying a cargo of 4,000 tons of coal.

On Sunday night, the Shandong maritime rescue center received a report that the engine room of the ship was on fire in waters about 18 nautical miles off Chaolian Island near Qingdao. The rescue center then successfully contacted the vessel’s owner.

The fifteen mariners boarded the lifeboat and were rescued by a passing ship about two hours after the fire was reported. Several rescue vessels, including a tugboat, were rushing to the scene.