Crashed Chinese helicopter salvaged out of sea water

Four crew members, all men, were aboard the helicopter when it crashed near the estuary of the Yangtze River at about 11:20 a.m., said a spokesman for the China Marine Search and Rescue Center.

A rescuing helicopter flies over China's Antarctic  exploration ship "Xuelong" near the estuary of the  Yangtze River in east China April 12, 2009. A mechanic  was missing and the three other crew members were rescued  after the helicopter taking off from China's Antarctic  exploration ship "Xuelong" crashed into the East China  Sea off Shanghai Sunday. Four crew members, all men,  were aboard the helicopter when it crashed near the  estuary of the Yangtze River, said a spokesman for  the China Marine Search and Rescue Center.(Xinhua/Chen Fei)

The helicopter made an emergency landing from a height of about50 meters and floated on the sea for a couple of minutes before sinking.

Three, including the pilot, co-pilot and a mechanic, were rescued and rushed to hospital, the spokesman said.

"One man is in serious condition and the other two are stable," Zhang Guotong, president of the Shanghai Municipal No. 7 People's Hospital, told Xinhua.

Zhang added that the one in intensive care also was out of danger after regaining consciousness from short coma.

Rescuers search for a missing mechanic and a  crashed helicopter near the estuary of the  Yangtze River in east China April 12, 2009. (Xinhua/Chen Fei)

More than 10 rescue boats were involved in the search for the missing mechanic, Yang Yongchang, and the helicopter, Sun said.

"The water is muddy and it is getting dark, which increase difficulties for the search," Sun said. "We have to redouble the efforts and use advanced equipment."