Summary Twenty people died and five remain missing after a foreign-flagged cargo ship caught fire during repairs at Qingdao shipyard, China.
BEIJING (Dunya News) - At least 20 people were killed after a foreign-flagged cargo ship caught fire while undergoing repairs at a shipyard in Qingdao, eastern China.
According to Chinese media, the vessel, identified as the Ocean Melody, was undergoing repairs at Beihai Shipbuilding when the fire suddenly broke out. The ship was flying the Liberian flag.
A total of 42 people were aboard the vessel. Twelve were safely evacuated, while five injured people were taken to hospital and were reported to be in stable condition. Five others were reported missing.
Rescue teams battled the blaze for more than three hours before bringing it under control. The fire broke out at around 11 a.m. local time and was extinguished by about 2:30 p.m.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang expressed concern over the incident and directed authorities to intensify rescue efforts, assist those affected and strengthen safety measures to prevent similar major accidents.
