Two cargo ships sank in Bohai Bay in north China yesterday
during winds measuring nine on the Beaufort Scale, but all crew
members were rescued.
The Zhuyang III was carrying 4,000 tons of coal and 30
containers from Tianjin
to Ningbo when it
capsized early on Wednesday, according to Hebei's
marine search and rescue center.
Six sea craft and one helicopter were mobilized by the center to
assist at 8:10 AM, and all 15 crew members were rescued at 10:18
AM., three of whom were injured.
The second ship, from east China's Zhejiang
Province, was carrying sand from Ningbo to
Qinhuangdao and also sank in Bohai Bay that afternoon. All 19
of its crew were rescued about 20 minutes later.
The Ministry of Communications' North China Sea Salvage Bureau
said the strong winds had caused water to enter the cabin and
destabilize the ship, making it sink at 3:20 PM.
The bureau received an SOS from the ship at 2 PM and mobilized
two vessels and a helicopter.
The crew, who had abandoned the ship, were rescued at 3:42
PM.
(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2005)