Fourteen crew have been injured in an explosion on a Saipem-operated pipe-layer in the Caspian Sea.

The Italian company said the the incident occurred on Wednesday evening on the 7,200-dwt Israfil Husneyov (built 1990).

The vessel is working on the Shah Deniz II project.

On Thursday, the seafarers, all employees of Saipem, were taken to hospital.

"The incident was related to maintenance operations on an item of equipment during pipe-laying activities," the oil company said.