Dhaka: Two Bangladeshis, among 32 crew members of an Iranian oil tanker, went missing after a fire broke out in the tanker following a collision with a bulk freighter at China’s eastern coast.

According to the Transport Ministry of China, the other 30 crew members were from Iran, reports AP.

The crew members of the Tanker Sanchi were unaccounted for following the collision late Saturday with the Hong Kongregistered freighter CF Crystal.

The ministry said the tanker was ‘completely lost to fire.’

The Panama-registered vessel was sailing from Iran to South Korea when it collided with the Crystal 257 kilometres (160 miles) from shore.

All 21 members of the Crystal’s crew, all Chinese nationals, were rescued.

Chinese authorities are carrying out a search and rescue effort for the missing tanker crew.