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An inflatable boat carrying 13 people exploded near Mopanshan Island off Xingcheng city in Northeast China’s Liaoning Province at about 2:08 pm on Wednesday, killing seven people and leaving one missing, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday. 

Five other injured people have been hospitalized, including two in serious but stable condition. 

After the accident, local authorities dispatched maritime, medical, police and emergency response teams to search for the missing person, treat the injured and handle the aftermath of the incident.

A preliminary investigation found that the people aboard the inflatable boat were residents traveling from Juehua Island to nearby Mopanshan Island, about 0.8 nautical miles away, to collect sea snails. 

On the return trip, a suspected fuel leak is believed to have triggered a flash explosion when the engine was restarted. The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation. 

Global Times