Iran Tanker Sinking After Blast; Crew OK
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LAS PALMAS, Canary Islands — An Iranian oil tanker exploded and caught fire Tuesday in the Atlantic northwest of the Canary Islands and was reported sinking after its crew was rescued by a Soviet freighter, officials said.
The 284,632-ton Khark 5 sent out a distress signal at 5 a.m. before its 35-man crew abandoned ship 350 miles from the Spanish archipelago’s capital and was picked up by the freighter Sarny, Capt. David Rodriguez of the Las Palmas naval station said.
Onda Pesquera, the Spanish ship-monitoring radio service based in Barcelona, said the Soviet ship rescued the Iranian tanker’s crewmen and is expected to reach Las Palmas on Thursday.
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