IRNA – The operation to put out the fire of the Iranian tanker which collided with a Chinese freighter in East China coast four days ago began early on Wednesday, Iran's consul general in Shanghai announced.


The operation started while flames of fire subsided despite bad weather in the region, Alireza Irvash told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

An Iranian tanker carrying condensates collided with a Chinese freight ship in East China coast on Saturday night, and the 32 members of the crew went missing. One body was found on Monday, and according to Iran's officials, the body belongs to an Iranian seaman.

Irvash said that the Iranian expert teams arrived in China's Shanghai Port to help the rescue operation.

The Chinese officials say their teams along with South Korea and United States are performing rescue operation to find the missing Iranian crew.

However, Iran says China is very cautious dealing with the issue, so it asked Japan to help, Mohsen Bahrami, spokesman for the crisis committee following up the situation of the missing Iranian seamen, said on Tuesday.

President Hassan Rouhani in a meeting on Tuesday with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh and Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi called for employing all national and regional capacities to determine the fate of the crew.

Following the President's order, a special committee was formed to follow up the issue.