A Thai man has died and four people are still missing after a ferocious fire erupted on a cargo ship in the Arabian Sea.

The vessel, which belongs to the world's biggest container shipping company Danish group AP Moller-Maersk, burst into flames late on Tuesday, but firefighters hundreds of miles from any land have been unable to extinguish the blaze.

Twenty-three members of a multi-national crew were rescued from the flames on board the ship, called Maersk Honam, but sadly one has now passed away from his injuries. 

Denmark's TV2 said the ship was transporting 'dangerous cargo' without giving further details. 

Soren Toft, the chief operating officer of AP Moller-Maersk, said the fire continues and that the situation of the vessel is 'very critical'. 

He said a search was continuing for four members of the crew who were still missing.

'We are doing our utmost in this tragic situation to care for all evacuated colleagues and continue the intense search and rescue operations ongoing for the four crew members currently reported missing,' he said.

The rescued crew have been taken to Sri Lanka on a rescue vessel and the burning ship is still stranded almost a thousand miles from southeastern Oman. 

She was travelling from Singapore to the Suez, passing Southern India. 

An Indian coastguard representative said the Maersk Honam caught fire near Agatti Island, about 650 nautical miles (1,200 kilometers) from Kochi in India.

The ship is now 900 nautical miles (1,670 kilometers) southeast of Salalah, Oman. 

She was carrying 13 Indians, nine Filipinos, two Thai nationals, a Romanian, a South African and a Brit. 

The cause of the fire - which started in one of the cargo holds - is not known, but a Danish media outlet reported 'dangerous materials' were being transported.   

The vessel, built in 2017 at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea, is carrying 7,860 containers.

The Maersk Honam has a nominal capacity of 15,262 TEU (20-foot equivalent units).