HAVANA, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Three Polish crew members were missing after an explosion that ``partially'' sank a Cuban- operated oil tanker outside a port on Cuba's north coast on Sunday, the Transport Ministry said on Monday.

A ministry statement said two other members of the 24-person Polish crew were injured in the blast aboard the Liberia-registered Sletreal as it was manoeuvring to take on a cargo of crude oil in Cardenas, about 85 miles (140 km) east of Havana.

The rest of the crew was rescued after the explosion on Sunday afternoon.

An oil spill occurred, but that was ``under control'' and Cuban authorities were cleaning up the spill, the ministry said, without giving more details.

Cardenas Bay and port is near Cuba's premier beach resort of Varadero, popular with foreign tourists, but there was no indication that any beaches were affected by the oil spill.

The ministry said the tanker, chartered by the Cuban shipping company Petrocost and operated by the state oil company Cupet, was left ``partially sunk'' near the port's access channel, although it was not an obstacle to shipping.

Cuban authorities were investigating the cause of the accident.

19:04 01-31-00

Copyright 2000 Reuters Limited.

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