At least 20 dead after fire on cargo ship in Qingdao
Chinese President Xi Jinping calls for investigation into blaze at Beihai Shipbuilding facility
Quick Look
- At least 20 people died and five are missing after a fire broke out on the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Ocean Melody during repairs at a shipyard in Qingdao, China.
- Authorities have launched a search and rescue operation and an investigation into the cause.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The incident occurred at the Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding facility, a subsidiary of the state-controlled China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
At least 20 people have been killed and five remain missing after a cargo ship caught fire while docked in a Chinese port in the east of the country.
"A foreign cargo ship of Beihai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in Qingdao, Shandong Province, caught fire during its port call for maintenance, causing heavy casualties," state news agency Xinhua news agency said.
A photo released by Xinhua news identified the ship as the Ocean Melody, which sails under a Liberian flag, according to the public vessel-tracking website VesselFinder.
A total of 42 people had been on the vessel, and 12 of them were safely evacuated, Xinhua reported.
The ship was docked for repairs at Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding at the port of Qingdao, a major shipping hub on the north-eastern Chinese coast.
Beihai Shipbuilding is part of the state-controlled China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the world's largest shipbuilder.
Its main businesses include shipbuilding and ship repairing, according to Beihai Shipbuilding's website.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for intensified search and rescue efforts, a swift investigation and accountability measures after the deadly fire broke out aboard the foreign cargo ship.
"All regions and relevant departments must draw profound lessons from this incident, thoroughly investigate and rectify all types of fire hazards," he said.
State media reported the fire broke out around 11am (1pm AEST) Thursday and was extinguished by 2:30pm local time (4:30pm AEST).
Premier Li Qiang also urged the search and rescue of "trapped" people, and for those injured to receive medical treatment, "and strictly prevent secondary disasters".
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Official investigation into fire hazards at the shipyard
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What was the specific cause of the fire?
- What is the current status of the five missing individuals?