Cargo ship erupts into flames at Chinese port with at least 20 dead and others missing

A cargo ship docked for repairs in a Chinese port has erupted in flames, killing 25 people, Chinese state media has reported. The ship was being repaired at Beihai Shipbuilding Co. at the port of Qingdao, a major shipping hub on the northeastern Chinese coast.

A photo released by Xinhua news agency identified the ship as the Ocean Melody, which sails under a Liberian flag, according to the tracking website VesselFinder. A total of 42 people had been on the vessel, with 12 safely evacuated, Xinhua reported. Five people were injured and taken to hospital, where they remained in a stable condition. The fire started at around 11am on Thursday and was extinguished by 2.30pm local time.

Videos online showed workers on the ship attempting to put out the fire. China’s President Xi Jinping issued "important instructions" to urgently conduct rescue operations, Xinhua said, while Premier Li Qiang had called for "trapped" people to be rescued.

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