KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 25 people have been killed and five others injured after a fire broke out aboard a foreign-flagged cargo ship at the port of Qingdao in China, according to media reports.
Al Jazeera, citing Chinese state media, reported that 42 people were on board the vessel when the fire broke out.
Twelve people were safely evacuated, while five others were injured and taken to hospital. The injured are reported to be in stable condition.
According to China’s Xinhua News Agency, the fire broke out at around 11:15 a.m. on Thursday while the vessel was docked for repairs at Beihai Shipbuilding Company in Qingdao Port.
Xinhua identified the vessel as Ocean Melody. According to the ship-tracking website VesselFinder, the vessel operates under the flag of Liberia.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an immediate search-and-rescue operation and called for efforts to locate those still missing.
He also called for a thorough investigation into the incident and urged that those responsible be held accountable.
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