Three seafarers have died in an explosion on a tanker off Russia.

The chief officer and two colleagues were thrown into the sea by the blast on the 3,300-dwt Zaliv Amerika (built 1989) at Nakhodka on Saturday, Russian media reported.

Watch footage of the damage here

The vessel was in ballast at the time.

Preliminary reports indicated there was a flash fire that produced a blast inside its midsection.