67 Ships Join Search in China
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
67 ships and 2,377 people are searching for the 31 Chinese sailors who went missing after a Panamanian freighter ran aground in the sea area off East China's Fujian Province last week. The rescue operation has been extended to a wider area of sea, including areas near local islands and polders. The accident occurred when the ship, Heng Da 1, hit a reef. All 37 Chinese crew members fell overboard. So far only two of the crew members have been saved and the bodies of four victims recovered. The 31 others are still missing. The East China Sea Salvage Bureau under the Ministry of Communications dispatched a 14-member rescue team, including 10 divers and engineers, to join the rescue efforts. Strong wind and high waves have hampered the rescue operation. (Source: www.hindu.com)