An Indian Oil Corporation crude oil tanker has caught fire on the east coast of Sri Lanka where an aircraft and two navy ships have been deployed for conducting rescue effort, navy representative Commander Ranjith Rajapaksa was quoted saying in a Reuters report.

The fully loaded New Diamond, a very large crude carrier (VLCC), was heading to the port of Paradip in India where state-run IOC operates a 300,000 barrel-per-day refinery, it said.

The carrier had sailed from Mina Al Ahmadi in Kuwait, Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking data showed. The commander stated the VLCC is ablaze about 20 nautical miles off the east coast of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's Marine Protection Authority said steps will be taken to prevent any possible oil leak from the tanker which is carrying 270,000 tonnes of oil. No immediate comment was available from IOC or Kuwait Petroleum Corp, the report added.