US Navy P-8A aircraft joins search and rescue efforts after East China Sea tanker collision

The US Navy deployed a P-8A maritime reconnaissance aircraft to help search for survivors of a collision between two commercial ships in the East China Sea on January 6.

The aircraft searched for  32 crew who went missing after Iranian oil tanker MV Sanchi collided with Chinese grain ship CF Crystal.

According to the US Navy, the aircraft searched an area of approximately 3,600 square nautical miles before returning to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.

None of the mariners were located, the US Navy said.

According to Reuters, the Iranian tanker was still ablaze on Monday, two days after the collision.