At least 20 people have died after a fire broke out aboard a foreign-flagged cargo ship undergoing maintenance at a shipyard in Qingdao, eastern China.
The vessel, identified as the Ocean Melody and registered in Liberia, had 42 people on board when the blaze erupted at about 11 a.m. local time.
Twelve people were evacuated safely, while five others were injured and taken to hospital, where they were reported to be in stable condition.
The fire was brought under control several hours later, but rescue teams continued searching the vessel for people who may still be trapped.
Chinese President Xi Jinping directed authorities to prioritise rescue operations, while Premier Li Qiang called for those still missing to be located and urged officials to prevent further disasters.
The cause of the fire remains unclear, with authorities expected to investigate how the blaze started while the vessel was undergoing maintenance.
