Oil tanker catches fire & cargo ship sinks after collision off Shanghai, 14 missing (VIDEO)

An oil tanker and a cargo vessel have collided off the coast of Shanghai, China. Some 14 people remain missing after the incident, as the tanker caught fire after the collision, while the cargo ship sank.

The incident occurred some 1.5 nautical miles southeast of the mouth of the Yangtze River early on Thursday. The circumstances surrounding the incident are unclear, but the two vessels collided, with the cargo ship sinking shortly after the impact.

The oil tanker remained afloat, but caught fire. Footage from the scene, released by Chinese state media, shows an open blaze and thick black smoke emitting from the middle of the ship’s deck.

The damaged vessel is said to be carrying around 3,000 tons of gasoline and the incident may result in a major oil spill, though available footage does not indicate any spilled fuel spots on the water.

Several coast guard vessels, as well as other ships, were dispatched to the scene to put out the flames. Three people were rescued from the damaged vessels, but 14 more remain missing. The rescue operation is ongoing, local media reported.

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