Rescuers expand sea search for crew by The Associated Press | January 13, 2018 at 2:28 a.m.
BEIJING — Rescue ships looking for 31 missing crew members from a burning oil tanker have expanded their search area to more than 1,000 square miles, authorities said Friday.
The expanded search comes six days after the Iranian-owned Sanchi collided with a freighter in the East China Sea and burst into flames.
The cause of the crash remains unclear.
Chinese state television cited officials at the scene in reporting Friday that authorities still have not found any survivors or put out the blaze on the Sanchi. One body has been recovered.
Twelve ships spraying foam are struggling to extinguish the tanker, which was carrying nearly 1 million barrels of condensate, a type of gassy, ultra-light oil.
Search and firefighting efforts resumed Thursday after an onboard explosion rocked the tanker Wednesday.
Intense flames, bad weather and poor visibility have hampered rescue efforts, and Chinese authorities fear the ship could explode, potentially setting off an environmental disaster.