Emergency responders are fighting desperately to put out the flames that resulted from a massive explosion on an oil tanker off the southwest coast of Japan.
Euronews reported that the captain has gone missing, but his seven crew members have all been rescued.
The company that owns the 998-ton ship said crew members had already unloaded all the oil before the explosion occurred, Euronews said.
Initial findings are that perhaps the explosion is tied to oil residual that caught fire after a crew member tried to remove rust near the fuel tank with a grinder.
The explosion was significant enough to bring Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to interrupt a debate in parliament and relay the news.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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