Iran Declares A Day of Public Mourning after Oil Tanker Tragedy


TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran's Cabinet declared Monday, January 15, as a nationwide day of public mourning over the deaths of 32 crew members of an Iranian oil tanker that sank on Sunday days after a collision with another vessel in the East China Sea.

The 'Sanchi' tanker that had caught fire during a crash in the East China Sea on January 6 went under water on Sunday after burning for eight days.

The Iranian oil tanker sank Sunday after the spread of fire to new oil condensate tanks created blazes as high as 100 meters and increased temperature. Sunday’s raging inferno made it impossible for the rescuers to even approach the ship.

Sanchi, with 32 people on board, including 30 Iranians, collided with a Chinese freight ship in the East China Sea on January 6 and had been burning ever since.