At least 20 dead, 5 missing following cargo ship fire at Eastern China shipyard

At least 20 people were killed and five others remain missing following a fierce fire aboard a foreign cargo ship docked for maintenance at a shipyard in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao.

The blaze broke out at approximately 11:15 a.m. local time on the Liberia-flagged dry bulk carrier Ocean Melody, which was undergoing repairs at the China State Shipbuilding Corporation's Beihai Shipbuilding facility.

As reported, a total of 42 people were aboard the vessel when the fire erupted.

Local emergency responders managed to safely evacuate 12 individuals, while five others sustained injuries and were hospitalized in stable condition. 

Firefighting crews extinguished the open flames by mid-afternoon, after which search-and-rescue teams recovered 20 bodies from the vessel.

In response to the disaster, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued urgent directives demanding all-out search-and-rescue operations for the missing crew members, alongside strict safety investigations and accountability measures to prevent future industrial accidents.