KOTA KINABALU, Aug 31 — Two people were killed and three injured after a cargo vessel carrying petrol caught fire and exploded while anchored off northern Pulau Banggi near Kudat late yesterday, The Star Online wrote.

The skipper of the vessel Jaafar Janidil, 61, as well as passenger Azmain Nawali, 45, were killed in the incident, said Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Sabah and Labuan) regional director First Admiral Mohd Zubil Mat Som.

He also said Jaafar’s two sons, Mohd Kamarudin, 26, who was a crew member, and Mohd Nasaruddin, 10, sustained severe burns and crewman Sahlan Ashadan, 27, was seriously injured.

Two patrol vessels that responded to a distress call rushed the injured to the Kudat district hospital.

The cargo vessel had been transporting about 10,000 litres of petrol to Banggi when the explosion happened during a stop at Pulau Padang.