Stricken Iranian oil tanker drifts into Japan's economic zone

A stricken Iranian oil tanker drifted into Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on Wednesday afternoon, a spokesman for Japan's Coast Guard told Reuters on Friday, as strong winds pushed the burning ship away from the Chinese coast.

The ship, which has been burning for almost a week since it collided with another vessel on Saturday night, was about 300 kilometres (186 miles) northwest of Amami Oshima island as of Thursday afternoon, a spokesman from the Coast Guard's 10th region based in Kagoshima said.

The tanker Sanchi was carrying almost 1 million barrels of condensate, an ultra-light, highly flammable crude oil, to South Korea.

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He said that Chinese authorities turned down an offer from the Japanese Coast Guard to help, saying it would ask for help when needed.