Massive explosion rips through 240ft tanker Annika carrying 650 tons of oil sparking inferno near German seaside resort

A MASSIVE explosion has ripped through a tanker carrying 650 tons of oil, sparking a huge inferno near a German seaside resort.

The 240ft Annika vessel caught fire off the Baltic Sea coast early on Friday, forcing all on board to evacuate it.

The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service was alerted to the fire shortly after 9am local time.

All seven crew members were taken ashore an hour later but several were reportedly injured, according to German outlet Ostsee Zeitung.

The tanker was northeast of Kuehlungsborn, a seaside resort west of the port city of Rostock.

The rescue service said giant plumes of black smoke were visible from the coast.

Three vessels have been deployed to the burning tanker Annika in the Mecklenburg Bay to extinguish the blaze.

Several firefighting teams are also heading to the site on helicopters.

The Germany-flagged, 73-metre-long tanker was carrying around 640 tonnes of oil, according to the country's Central Command for Maritime Emergencies.

The vessel is at anchor and connected to a tugboat on site.

It is believed that the enormous ship is a "bunker," used to deliver fuel to other vessels.

Since the Annika was reportedly headed to Lübeck later today to refuel ferries, disruption is now anticipated.

According to reports, Rostock is also currently getting ready to receive the damaged tanker.

The Schwerin Ministry of the Environment has announced that the fire on the oil ship has not yet caused any water pollution.

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