PANAMA CITY, July 14 (Xinhua)-- A Panama-registered fishing boat caught fire near the waters of Panama's South Punta Chame, leaving six Vietnamese crew members injured, said Panama's maritime authorities on Monday.

    None of the 11 Chinese crew aboard was injured, Bao E'sheng, representative at the Chinese Office of Commercial Development in Panama, told Xinhua.

    Among the six injured, three were in serious condition.

    The boat, Chung Kuo No.96, which belongs to a company from Taiwan, China, had 19 crew members aboard, with eight of them from Vietnam.

    The boat is routinely operating in Panamanian waters, unloading, processing and transshipping its catches at Panama's Vaca Monte Bay.

    The cause of the fire was still under investigation.