Chinese ship sinks, leaving 12 crew members missing

Source: Xinhuanet | 07-13-2007 13:56

LOS ANGELES, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese vessel sank 600 km northwest of Guam, leaving 12 crew members missing, officials at the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles confirmed on Thursday.

Ten people were rescued on Wednesday, the day after the ship sank due to high winds and seas from Typhoon Man-yi, according to the officials, who refused to be named.

Rescue efforts continued two days after the incident, but a dozen crew members remained missing, said the officials.

The Chinese-flagged bulk log carrier, owned by Fuzhou Haijing Shipping, was on route from Papua New Guinea to China when the cargo began shifting as the vessel encountered 70 mph winds and 24-feet seas, according to survivors.

Passing vessels were directed to the sinking of the Hai Tong No. 7 by the crew of a U.S. Navy P-3 aircraft from Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, Japan, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard sent out an urgent marine broadcast Tuesday asking mariners to assist after an emergency beacon registered to the sinking ship began broadcasting a distress signal.

The signal saved the lives of those people rescued, said Lt. Kevin Floyd, a rescue coordinator for the Coast Guard.

Five vessels were on the scene in search for the remaining crewmembers, along with Navy and Coast aircrews, U.S. officials said.

"The immediate response by so many mariners is impressive," said Cmdr, Frank Genco, chief of the Coast Guard's search and rescue branch in Honolulu. "Mariners truly understand the importance of helping out their fellow sailors."

Eight of the survivors were being taken to Guam, a U.S. territory 5,950 km southwest of Hawaii. The other two survivors were on route to China, officials said.

Extreme winds and torrential rain continued to hit the area on Thursday as Man-yi continued to move northeastward, threatening Japan and the Ryukyu Islands, according to weather forecasts.

Editor:Du Xiaodan