News / Crew leave Yantian Express for salvage tug as box ship blaze spreads

The crew of eight officers and 15 seafarers on Hapag-Lloyd’s fire-stricken Yantian Express have been taken off the vessel as efforts to bring the blaze under control have failed.

Fire broke out in one of the 7,500 teu vessel’s containers on Thursday and the crew’s initial efforts to put it out were hampered by bad weather.

Over the weekend, weather conditions worsened and the fire grew more dangerous, the company said in a statement today.

“Due to bad weather conditions, the fire has ...