Investigations into Baltic Sea oil tanker blaze to begin Monday

Investigations into the cause of a fire on board a German oil tanker that prompted a major rescue operation are to be delayed until Monday, authorities have confirmed.

The 73-metre Annika was towed to the northern port of Rostock by two tugboats after a blaze broke out on Friday off Germany's Baltic Sea coast.

The ship was carrying 640 tons of heavy fuel oil, leading to concerns that an oil spill could cause serious environmental damage, but the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said on Saturday that no pollution was caused.

However, experts have still not been able to discover what sparked the fire due to the risk of accumulated gases after the flames were extinguished.

Rostock government official Chris von Wrycz Rekowski said that investigations are set to begin on Monday.

The blaze had initially been contained to the engine room while the vessel was at sea about 4.5 kilometres off the German coast near Rostock, with three fire boats fighting the flames.

According to the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies, 120 personnel were deployed to deal with the incident.

All seven crew members on the Annika were released from hospital on Friday evening after being brought ashore earlier in the day.