12 Chinese sailors rescued from freighter fire in Japan

Twelve Chinese crew members aboard a Panama-registered cargo ship were rescued late Thursday night after the ship caught fire in waters in Osaka Bay in western Japan, local press reported Friday.

A fire broke out on the freighter "HaoHan" in waters about 10 km off shore of Izumiotsu City, Osaka Prefecture at around 9:00 p.m. local time. The sailors at first tried to put out the fire but failed, they were then rescued by patrol vessels of the Japanese Coast Guard ,no one was injured.

The ship, carrying some 1,000 tons of metal scrap, was sailing to China when the fire occurred. The fire has not been extinguished yet as of Friday noon, according to the report.