Search continues for 16 missing sailors from ROK ship

Source: Xinhuanet | 05-14-2007 16:52

JINAN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The search is continuing for the 16 missing sailors after their ship of Republic of Korea (ROK) sank off China's eastern coast on Saturday, but high winds on the sea have hindered the rescue efforts and their whereabouts are still unknown.

More than 50 vessels passing through the area and a few helicopters were coordinated by Shandong Marine Affairs Bureau to assist with the rescue operation.

The state Marine Safety Administration has sent a surveying ship to scan the scene and help pinpointing the location of the sunk ship.

Eight of the missing sailors are Republic of Korea (ROK) nationals, seven are from Myanmar and one is from Indonesia, according to the Shandong Marine Affairs Bureau.

The ROK vessel, the "Golden Rose", sank off Yantai, east China's Shandong Province, after it collided at around 3 a.m. on Saturday with the Saint Vincent-registered "Jinsheng", a ship run by Shandong Lufeng Shipping Company Ltd.

The "Golden Rose" loaded with 5,900 tons of steel, was heading from Liaoning to ROK. The container ship "Jinsheng" was heading from Yantai to Dalian.

After the collision, the Jinsheng boat carried on cruising and arrived at Dayao Bay in Dalian, a port city in northeast China's Liaoning Province, at 2:50 p.m. on Saturday.

Crew members on the Jinsheng boat are being investigated by the Liaoning Maritime Affairs Bureau. Operators of Jinsheng are also investigated in Shandong.

Chinese rescuers found two life rafts and items confirmed to have come from the "Golden Rose" on Saturday.

Starting at 5 a.m. on Sunday, the Shandong Marine Affairs Bureau used helicopters and search boats to widen the search area.

In the meantime, law enforcement officers from the Shandong Marine Affairs Bureau also began to clear up the polluted seawaters following the collision between the two ships.

Relatives of the sailors will soon arrive in Yantai. The cause of the collision is still being investigated.

Editor:Du Xiaodan