China's Ministry of Transport says 32 crew members from an Iranian oil tanker are missing after it collided with a bulk freighter and caught fire off China's eastern coast.

The ministry says 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis on the tanker Sanchi are unaccounted for following the collision late Saturday with the Hong Kong-registered freighter CF Crystal.

The ministry says 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 kilometers (160 miles) from shore.

All 21 members of the Crystal's crew — all Chinese nationals — have been rescued.

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