China, S Korea continue joint operation to search for missing sailors

China and South Korea Friday continued their joint operation to search for missing crew members who were aboard a suspected Chinese fishing boat sunk by a South Korean cargo ship in waters near the west coast of South Korea.

According to Seoul's Coast Guard, three patrol vessels and a helicopter were dispatched to the spot to work with China's professional salvage ship "Beihai Rescue 108" to search for the missing sailors. But so far there has been no progress yet.

The suspected Chinese fishing boat sank in the northeastern Yellow Sea, close to the waters of South Korea, on Wednesday after it collided with a 1,250-ton South Korean cargo ship, named "Ocean Ace No. 3" and carrying liquid chemical products. The fishing boat immediately sank and all crew members onboard went missing.

The boat's name and the exact number of sailors aboard was not available.

The Chinese embassy in Seoul has urged the ROK to rescue the missing sailors.

Seoul's Coast Guard sent a patrol vessel and a helicopter to the scene to search for the sailors but a typhoon has hindered the rescue work.

Source: Xinhua