Two people died after a Shenzhen oil tanker caught on fire at the Beibu Gulf of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on Tuesday afternoon, according to Qinzhou maritime safety administration.

A photo taken on Aug 22, 2023, shows a Shenzhen oil tanker on fire at the Beibu Gulf of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Screengrab/CCTV News app]

Seventeen people were on board when the accident happened and 15 have been rescued. Local authorities rushed to the scene and the fire was put out two hours after catching, the administration said.

The oil did not leak into the sea and the cause of the accident is under investigation, it added.

The tanker carried 6,858 metric tons of diesel and is 117.4 meters long, 16.5 meters wide.

（Picture: Veer）