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Iran firm says there may be survivors from tanker crash

Mohsen Bahrami, a spokesman for National Iranian Tanker Company, NITC, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, at the headquarters of the NITC, in Tehran, Iran. The Iranian company whose oil tanker burst into flames after a collision in the East China Sea says there is still hope of finding survivors. (Vahid Salemi / Associated Press)
Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran – The Iranian company whose oil tanker burst into flames after a collision in the East China Sea says there is still hope of finding survivors.

Mohsen Bahrami, a spokesman for National Iranian Tanker Co., said late on Tuesday that rescuers would “likely” find survivors as “the engine room is not directly affected by the fire and is about 14 meters under water.”

He added: “There is still hope.”

The body of one of the 32 crewmen has been recovered, while the other 31 are missing.

The tanker was carrying nearly 1 million barrels of condensate when it collided with the Hong Kong-registered freighter CF Crystal late Saturday. The 21 members of the Crystal’s all-Chinese crew were rescued.

It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the collision.