TEHRAN, Jan. 09 (MNA) – An Iranian-owned oil tanker that collided with a Chinese freighter in the East China Sea on Sat. was still on fire on Tuesday morning, the Chinese government said.

According to Reuters quoting the Chinese Ministry of Transport, efforts to tame the fire and search for the remaining 31 missing crew members of Iranian national have been hampered by poor conditions, with heavy winds, rain and high waves.

The body of a crew member was found on Monday in the water near the tanker, the ministry said. It had been handed over to the civil affairs bureau, the statement added.

The tanker Sanchi, carrying 136,000 tons of condensate bound for Republic of Korea, and run by National Iranian Tanker Co., hit a Chinese freight ship on Saturday night in the East China Sea and burst into flames after spilling oil. There are growing concerns that the tanker may explode and sink, as 13 rescue boats struggle to control the blaze for a third day.

All 21 crew members on the bulk freighter - all Chinese nationals - were rescued.

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